Rethinking the role of reactive T cells

Abstract

Multiple Sclerosis In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), damage to the nerve-insulating myelin sheath blocks the ability of neurons to conduct messages. Although the injury is thought to be caused by the body's own immune system, myelin-restricted immune cells exist in comparable numbers in MS patients and healthy controls. Now, Cao et al. report functional differences between myelin-reactive T cells from MS patients—which are proinflammatory— and those in healthy controls—which secrete more of the immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin-10. Thus, functional divergence in selected immune cells may contribute to disease development Sci. Transl. Med. 7 , 287ra74 (2015).