title: The role of B cells in multiple sclerosis: rationale for B-cell-targeted therapies.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with no clear etiology. Until recently, most studies have emphasized the role of T cells in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Data suggesting that B cells play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis have been accumulating for the past five decades, demonstrating that the cerebrospinal fluid and central nervous system tissues of multiple sclerosis patients contain B cells, plasma cells, antibodies, and immunoglobulins. Data suggest that B cells are involved in antigen capture and presentation to T cells, cytokine production, antibody secretion, demyelination, tissue damage, and remyelination in multiple sclerosis. These advances in the understanding of B-cell and antibody roles in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis provide a strong rationale for B-cell-targeted therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA. michael.racke@osumc.edu
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Racke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors