Team 2

Myelinopathies

Our research axes

The team focuses on identifying new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of myelin diseases of the central nervous system and the inflammation associated with these diseases and other neurological pathologies. In recent decades, glial cells have emerged as essential players in the development and function of the nervous system. In response to an insult, these cells are mobilized to enable the regeneration of damaged tissue. Oligodendrocytes repair the myelin sheaths that protect axons and enable rapid conduction of nerve impulses. Astrocytic and microglial cells are essential to the regenerative process through their pro- and anti-inflammatory activities. The team is particularly interested in acquired demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. One of the team’s hallmarks is its expertise in glial cell and myelin biology and conventional pharmacological and gene expression therapy approaches.

Our current research axes focus on

1) Characterization of the molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to myelin development, regeneration, and inflammation associated with demyelinating diseases in order to identify new therapeutic targets (Elisabeth Traiffort);

2) Our group also evaluates several aspects of neurodevelopment, including the neuromuscular system, myelination, and central and peripheral neuronal development. It contributes to a better understanding of the genetic bases and molecular mechanisms in early-onset neuromuscular diseases, arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, peripheral neuropathies, and congenital anomalies of the cerebral vascular system.

3) Transcriptomic analysis of the pro-myelinating effects of testosterone (Abdel Ghoumari);

4) Identification of innovative therapies to combat inflammation associated with cerebral aneurysms (Laurent Spelle and Elisabeth Traiffort).

Selected publications

• Bardy-Lagarde M, Asbelaoui N, Ghoumari AM. Crosstalk between androgen signaling and the chemokine receptor CXCR4: a novel strategy to promote myelin regeneration. Neural Regen Res. 2025 Sep 1;20(9):2581-2582. https://doi.org/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-00439
•  Capri Y, Bourmance L, Dupont C, Saint-Frison MH, Guimiot F, Grotto S, Chitrit Y, Laquerrière A, Melki J. DST variants are responsible for neurogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita enlarging the spectrum of type VI hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy. Clin Genet. 2023 Nov;104(5):587-592. https://doi.org/10.1111/cge.14397
•  El-Hage O, Mikdache A, Boueid MJ, Degerny C, Tawk M. Schwann cells have a limited window of time in which to initiate myelination signaling during early migration in vivo. Cells Dev. 2025 Mar;181:203993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdev.2024.203993
•  Joitescu I, Amelot A, Lot G, Aghakhani N, Parker F, Knafo S. A Staged Approach for Surgical Management of Basilar Invagination. Oper Neurosurg. 2024 Oct 1;27(4):424-430. https://doi.org/10.1227/ons.0000000000001152
•  Traiffort E, Kassoussi A, Zahaf A. Revisiting the role of sexual hormones in the demyelinated central nervous system. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2025 Jan;76:101172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2024.101172
•  Zahaf A, Kassoussi A, Hutteau-Hamel T, Mellouk A, Marie C, Zoupi L, Tsouki F, Mattern C, Bobé P, Schumacher M, Williams A, Parras C, Traiffort E. Androgens show sex-dependent differences in myelination in immune and non-immune murine models of CNS demyelination. Nat Commun. 2023 Mar 22;14(1):1592. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36846-w