Prevotella histicola is as potent as COPAXONE in an animal model of multiple sclerosisOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Whether the human gut commensal Prevotella histicola, depleted in MS, suppresses disease in the animal model as effectively as glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), and whether the two synergize.
Who was studied?
HLA-transgenic mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, treated with P. histicola, Copaxone, both, or sham.
What were the key findings?
P. histicola suppressed disease as effectively as Copaxone; the combination was no better than either alone. P. histicola increased regulatory T cells and reduced IFN-gamma and IL-17-producing T cells.
What are the implications?
A depleted gut commensal reproduces a validated MS drug's effect, pointing to a shared microbiome-level mechanism and an alternative, microbiome-based treatment route.