Characterization of Th17 cells in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls

Abstract

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune CNS disease, which is thought to be driven by autoimmune T cells. The mechanisms underlying relapses, remission and irreversible tissue destruction in MS are not clear. Our recent findings in the animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) revealed that Th17 cells had a pronounced neurodegenerative phenotype in animal models of the disease. We are now interested in translating these findings to the human system. Therefore, we analyzed human Th17 cells in MS patients and healthy persons.