Trumbull, CT, March 18, 2012 — A paper published online today in Nature describes the results of using a bone marrow transplant (BMT) to replace faulty immune system cells in models of Rett Syndrome. The procedure arrested many severe symptoms of the childhood disorder, including abnormal breathing and movement, and significantly extended the lifespan of Rett mouse models. Exploring the function of microglia deficient in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (Mecp2), the protein encoded by the “Rett gene,” principal investigator Jonathan Kipnis, Ph.D. and his team at the University of Virginia School of Medicine uncovered a completely novel approach to this devastating neurological syndrome. The work was funded by the Rett Syndrome Research Trust and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust UK.

http://www.rsrt.org/about-rsrt/press-releases/bone-marrow-transplant-arrests-symptoms-in-model-of-rett-syndrome/