Sellebjerg F, Jensen J, Jensen C V, Wiik A
Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark.
Scand J Immunol. 2002 Jul;56(1):101-7. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3083.2002.01108.x.
The pathogenetic role of autoantibodies in multiple sclerosis (MS) is uncertain. CD5+ B cells commonly produce autoantibodies, but CD5 expression has also been implicated in B-cell tolerance. We studied B-cell subsets, anti-myelin protein antibody-secreting cells in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and a panel of serum autoantibodies in patients with clinically isolated syndromes (CIS), suggestive of MS and patients with clinically definite MS (CDMS). Patients with CDMS had a higher percentage of CD5- B cells in CSF than did control subjects (P = 0.02). CIS patients with immunoglobulin G (IgG) oligoclonal bands in CSF or multiple lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) had a higher percentage of CD5- B cells in CSF than did the remaining CIS patients (P = 0.03). The percentage of CD5- and CD80+ B cells correlated positively and the percentage of CD5+ B cells correlated negatively with the number of CSF cells secreting anti-myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) antibodies. The prevalence of serum autoantibodies was comparable in the three patient groups. We conclude that intrathecal expansion of CD5- B cells appears to be more characteristic in MS patients, and CD5+ B cells may be associated with a lower prevalence of anti-myelin antibody production.
