Activation of myelin reactive T cells in multiple sclerosis: A possible role for T cell degeneracy?

✍ Scribed by Piet Stinissen; Niels Hellings

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 83 KB
• Volume: 38
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.200838371

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

While it is widely accepted that myelin reactive T cells are key players in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), the initial triggers that turn on these self‐reactive T‐cells remain to be determined. One mechanism, which is already text book knowledge for a decade, is molecular mimicry by which viral or microbial antigens are able to cross‐activate T cells specific for myelin epitopes, the major target in MS pathology. Although proof of concept for this principle was given in animal model studies, evidence for such a mechanism in MS is limited. In this issue, Zhang et al. demonstrate an increased frequency of T cells that cross‐react with a wide variety of antigens, a phenomenon termed as T cell degeneracy. While the role of these degenerate T cells in MS remains to be determined the authors now provide new elegant tools to study this T cell population, thus providing a starting point to better understand their function in MS.

See accompanying article http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji200737519