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Immune-cell crosstalk in multiple sclerosis

Interactions between the B and T cells of the human immune system are implicated in the brain disease multiple sclerosis. It emerges that B cells make a protein that is also made in the brain, and that T cells recognize this protein.
  1. Richard M. Ransohoff

    1. Richard M. Ransohoff is at Third Rock Ventures, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, USA, and in the Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

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A hallmark of the disease multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory autoimmune attack1 on the proteins of the myelin sheath, a structure that wraps around the nerve fibres that project from neurons. The myelin sheath provides protection and nourishment to nerve fibres and enables efficient transmission of nerve impulses. Myelin-sheath injury causes a range of symptoms, depending on the neurons that are affected. Which immune-system cells and protein targets have key roles in the initiation and progression of multiple sclerosis is not fully understood, and such information might aid the development of new treatments. Writing in Cell, Jelcic et al.2 present an analysis of immune-system cells found in people with multiple sclerosis that deepens our understanding of how immune cells might contribute to this disease.

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Nature 563, 194-195 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07063-z

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Competing Interests

R. M. R. was employed by Biogen, the manufacturer of natalizumab, from October 2014 to November 2017. He retains a small equity interest in Biogen.

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