Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes
neurodegeneration, resulting in numerous physical and mental disabilities. It is
thought to be caused by out of control immune cells that attack the proteins
that make up the protective sheath in which nerve cells are encased. In
addition, it has been reported that a subset of immune cells known as Tregs
(characterized by expression of the protein CD4 and high levels of expression of
the protein CD25), which suppresses the function of aggressive immune cells, is
defective in individuals with MS, and that this contributes to the progression
of the disease. However, it has recently been shown that if CD4+CD25high cells
are divided into cells expressing high and low levels of the protein CD127 only
the CD4+CD25highCD127low cells have suppressive capability. Thus, Jean-Paul
Soulillou and colleagues, at INSERM U643, France, compared the suppressive
capabilities of CD4+CD25highCD127low cells from individuals with MS and healthy
individuals. Surprisingly, they found that these cell populations were equally
effective suppressors of aggressive immune cells when analyzed in vitro. These
data therefore indicate that the suppressive function of Tregs (when
characterized as CD4+CD25highCD127low) is not defective in individuals with MS,
suggesting that this defective Treg function is not a factor that contributes to
the development of this debilitating autoimmune disease.
TITLE: Patients
with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis have normal Treg function when cells
expressing IL-7 receptor alpha-chain are excluded from the analysis
AUTHOR:
Jean-Paul Soulillou
INSERM U643, Nantes,
France.
http://www.univ-nantes.fr View the PDF of this article
at:
https://www.the-jci.org/article.php?id=35365
Source:
Karen Honey
Journal of Clinical Investigation
