title: B cells and antibodies in MS.
abstract: Increasing research activities on humoral immune responses involved in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) led to a revival of the importance of B cells and antibodies in MS. B cells seem now to play various immunopathogenetic roles in the initiation and propagation of inflammatory demyelinating processes at different disease stages of MS. The biological activities of antibodies in MS is, in general, still less known, although it emerges that antibodies are specifically involved in demyelination or, at least, mirror tissue destruction in the central nervous system. Finally, there is growing evidence that treatments, which specifically target B cells and/or antibodies, are effective in MS and its variants neuromyelitis optica (NMO). This chapter therefore aims to summarize the present knowledge and to outline future directions about the role of B cells and antibodies in research and therapy of MS and NMO.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunological and Multiple Sclerosis Clinic and Research Unit, Clinical Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Markus.Reindl@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reindl
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuenz
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000917:Antibody Formation; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C571326:MOG protein, human; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein