Emerging role of neuregulin-1beta1 in pathogenesis and progression of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis(MS)is a chronic immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system(CNS)that causes focal demyelinating lesions,followed by axonal and neuronal degeneration.Several genetic and environmental factors are found to be associated with MS incidence.While MS etiology seems to be multifactorial and needs further elucidation,it is understood that the response of an immune system to specific myelin antigens triggers the onset of MS(Dendrou et al.,2015).However,how the autoimmune response initiates against myelin,and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning the development and progression of MS are not fully understood.Thus,deconstructing MS pathogenesis is of paramount importance for identifying novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for this complex disease.