Raymond A. Sobel, M.D.

The lab is concerned with mechanisms of cellular immune reactions and tissue injury in the central nervous system (CNS) as they occur in human multiple sclerosis (MS. CNS tissue samples from animals with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model of MS, and from patients with MS and other CNS diseases are studied using histology and immunohistochemistry at the light microscopic and ultrastructural levels to visualize directly the locations of molecules that are involved in immune-mediated injury and the failure of tissue repair.

We are currently focusing on alterations of extracellular matrix heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) as their catabolic products may inhibit endogenous neuronal regeneration. We are also analyzing ephrins, cell surface molecules involved in development that are re-expressed in CNS injury, integrin receptors of extracellular matrix molecules and other adhesion molecules on lesions of EAE and MS. Cross-recognition of neurons and neuronal precursors by anti-myelin proteolipid protein antibodies may result in neuronal dysfunction and the failure of neuronal repair in CNS injury.