title: Regulatory B cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
abstract: B cells are thought to play a pathogenic role in multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). This idea is supported by the reduction of disease in MS patients undergoing antibody-mediated B cell depletion therapy. In contrast, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS, B cells have been shown to play a regulatory role. This is suggestive of a dual role for B cells in CNS autoimmunity. It is possible that a critical balance between the pathogenic and regulatory populations of B cells might be involved in the manifestation of the disease. Although in mice, different B cell subsets have been shown to exert immunoregulation through varied mechanisms, the phenotype of regulatory B cells in humans and factors affecting their function are not well known. Also, the origin and development of regulatory B cells is not known. It is important to thoroughly identify the different populations of B cells that might be involved in suppressing CNS autoimmunity, their mode of function and factors that regulate their immunosuppressive properties for using regulatory B cells as a therapy for MS. Here we present methods to study the phenotype and mechanisms of immune suppression by B cells in different mouse models of EAE.
authors.affiliation: BloodCenter of Wisconsin, Blood Research Institute, 2178, Milwaukee, WI, 53201-2178, USA, avijit.ray@bcw.edu.
authors.forename: Avijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Sreemanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D060151:B-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology; D007114:Immunization; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010455:Peptides