In my lab we study:
- Regulation of the opioid growth factor (OGF)-OGF receptor (OGFr) axis during the course of neoplasia, and the role of OGF and/or OGFr in normal cell proliferation and transitioning to malignancy.
- Dysregulation of the OGF-OGFr axis in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Type I diabetes, or Crohn’s disease, and how manipulation of the pathway can be used as therapy (i.e., OGF or low dosages of naltrexone (LDN)).
Scientific News: Patent coming:
Drs. Ian S Zagon and Pat McLaughlin, along with colleague, Dr. Joseph W. Sassani, an ophthalmologist at Hershey Medical Center, recently received notice of allowance for the Canadian Patent Application entitled: “Method and Compositions for Treating Dry Eye”; the patent should be issued in 2016. This research team is actively engaged in conversations for funding related to establishing large Phase 2/3 clinical trials on treatment of dry eye, particularly in diabetes, with naltrexone.
The Phase 1 study was led by Dr. David Liang, a corneal specialist, who is currently at the Scott & White Eye Institute, Texas. Liang D, Sassani JW, McLaughlin PJ, and Zagon IS. 2016. Topical application of naltrexone to the corneal surface of healthy volunteers: A safety and tolerability study. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 32:127-132. PMID: 26741052.
2017 Book Publication:
Multiple Sclerosis: Perspectives in Treatment and Pathogenesis:
Authors: Ian S. Zagon, PhD and Patricia J. McLaughlin, MS, DEd, Department of Neural & Behavioral Sciences,Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Hershey, Pennsylvania
Synopsis
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic neurological disorder with devastating, long-term complications. MS is incurable, and most therapies treat only the symptoms leaving the patient with a reduced quality of life for extended periods of time. Most available therapeutic strategies target symptomatology, and not the pathophysiology of the disease. This book focuses on different biological pathways associated with MS, and contains current information on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis, novel treatments that target pathophysiology, and new approaches for management of the disorder, as well as general knowledge about the disease process. Number of Chapters: 11, Contributors: 27; Figures; 14; Tables;7; Pages; 187.
2017 Publication:
With over 300 publications to date, below is a recent publication.
Modulation of the OGF–OGFr pathway alters cytokine profiles in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis
Michael D. Ludwig, Ian S. Zagon and Patricia L McLaughin.