IMR Press / FBL / Volume 12 / Issue 7 / DOI: 10.2741/2268

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Potential role of humoral immunity in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)
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1 Department of Neurology and Center for Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas TX 75390, USA
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2007, 12(7), 2735–2749; https://doi.org/10.2741/2268
Published: 1 January 2007
Abstract

The earliest research literature addressing sub-clinical characteristics of Multiple Sclerosis was largely focused on humoral immune components, particularly antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients. However, two decades later, in the 1990's, T cells were established as a major component of the underlying mechanism(s) of MS pathogenesis, especially since EAE, the mouse model of MS, could be readily induced by immunization with myelin derived peptides or passive transfer of encephalogenic T cells. This data has contributed to the concept that the role of humoral immunity in MS pathogenesis may be negligible. However, more recent studies have provided important insights regarding the role of humoral immunity in MS pathogenesis. The goals of this review are to 1) summarize evidence for and against the hypothesis that humoral immunity plays a central role in the pathogenesis of MS, and 2) summarize studies in the EAE model that directly tested the role of humoral immunity in pathogenesis of the disease. With this information, we hope to convince the reader that great strides have been made towards defining a central role of humoral immunity in MS pathogenesis, but that there is a substantial amount of work to be done (especially in the EAE model) to ensure that the contribution of humoral immunity to MS pathogenesis is effectively addressed.

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