title: Cerebrospinal fluid B cells correlate with early brain inflammation in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is accumulating evidence from immunological, pathological and therapeutic studies that B cells are key components in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this prospective study we have for the first time investigated the differences in the inflammatory response between relapsing and progressive MS by comparing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell profiles from patients at the onset of the disease (clinically isolated syndrome, CIS), relapsing-remitting (RR) and chronic progressive (CP) MS by flow cytometry. As controls we have used patients with other neurological diseases. We have found a statistically significant accumulation of CSF mature B cells (CD19+CD138-) and plasma blasts (CD19+CD138+) in CIS and RRMS. Both B cell populations were, however, not significantly increased in CPMS. Further, this accumulation of B cells correlated with acute brain inflammation measured by magnetic resonance imaging and with inflammatory CSF parameters such as the number of CSF leukocytes, intrathecal immunoglobulin M and G synthesis and intrathecal production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and the B cell chemokine CxCL-13.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data support an important role of CSF B cells in acute brain inflammation in CIS and RRMS.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuenz
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lutterotti
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ehling
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gneiss
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haemmerle
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rainer
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deisenhammer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schocke
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reindl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers