METHODS OF TREATING OR PREVENTING DEMYELINATION USING THROMBIN INHIBITORS AND METHODS OF DETECTING DEMYELINATION USING NEUROFASCIN 155

摘要

Disclosed are methods of treating or preventing demyelination in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a (1) thrombin inhibitor or (2) compound that stimulates astrocytes in the mammal to (i) release a thrombin inhibitor, (ii) encase the node of Ranvier, (iii) stabilize the node of Ranvier, (iv) maintain the physical structure of myelin, or (v) any combination of (i)-(iv) in an amount effective to treat or prevent the demyelination in the mammal. Also disclosed are isolated or purified antibodies, or antigen binding fragments thereof, having antigenic specificity for neurofascin 155 (NF155) or Caspr1 amino acid sequences and methods of detecting the presence of demyelination in a mammal using one or more of the antibodies.