In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a restricted pool of B cells are shared between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, according to a new study. Sequencing of IgG heavy chain genes was used to identify B-cell repertoires, and revealed clonally related B-cell populations on both sides of the blood–brain barrier. Moreover, diversification of different B-cell populations occurred in the blood versus the CSF, indicating that the autoimmune response to CNS antigens is triggered and driven in both the brain and the periphery.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
von Budingen, H.-C. et al. B cell exchange across the blood-brain barrier in multiple sclerosis. J. Clin. Invest. doi:10.1172/JCI63842
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Evidence for B-cell exchange across the blood–brain barrier. Nat Rev Neurol 9, 6 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.259
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.259