title: Th17 cells: A prognostic marker for MS rebound after natalizumab cessation?
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are at risk of renewed disease activity after discontinuing natalizumab (NAT) treatment.
  
  
  
  Assessing the implication of T helper 17 (Th17) cells in MS reactivation after NAT cessation.
  
  
  
  We monitored frequencies of Th17 cells and interleukin (IL)-17 cytokine levels in blood samples of 57 MS patients, without, during, and after NAT exposure.
  
  
  
  Frequencies of both Th17 cells and, in part, also IL-17 levels, in peripheral blood increased under prolonged NAT therapy, returned to baseline after NAT withdrawal and became almost undetectable in blood samples of individuals who experienced relapses during the wash-out phase.
  
  
  
  Assessing the Th17-cell/IL-17 axis might help to predict rebound MS activity after NAT withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mirjam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korporal-Kuhnke
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faller
authors.affiliation: Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: von Glehn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jarius
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wildemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069442:Natalizumab / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C508717:IL17A protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D000069442:Natalizumab
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; Th17 effector T cells; natalizumab; rebound effect; wash-out phase