B cells contribute to MS pathogenesis through antibody-dependent and antibody-independent mechanisms

Abstract

For many years, central dogma defined multiple sclerosis (MS) as a T cell-driven autoimmune disorder; however, over the past decade there has been a burgeoning recognition that B cells contribute to the pathogenesis of certain MS disease subtypes. B cells may contribute to MS pathogenesis through production of autoantibodies (or antibodies directed at foreign bodies, which unfortunately cross-react with self-antigens), through promotion of T cell activation via antigen presentation, or through production of cytokines. This review highlights evidence for antibody-dependent and antibody-independent B cell involvement in MS pathogenesis.

Keywords:

• autoantibodies
• antibody targets
• clinically isolated MS
• primary progressive MS
• secondary progressive MS
• relapsing and remitting MS
• T cells
• T regulatory cells

Acknowledgments

I gratefully acknowledge my collaboration with Dr Christopher Power, University of Alberta, which has exposed me to this area of study. I also am grateful for Dr Christine A Webber for her critical reading of this manuscript. HLW is supported by a research grant provided by Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund. This manuscript is published with the permission of the Director of Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Center as journal series no 633.

Disclosure

The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.