Characterization of recent thymic emigrants (RTEs), transitional B and Th17 cells in multiple sclerosis (MS)

Abstract

The finding that APECED syndrome is due to a failure in negative thymic selection has suggested that central tolerance could play a role also in polygenic autoimmunity and that autoimmune patients should have an increase in RTEs. There were no differences in lymphocyte populations among the clinical forms of MS. RRMS under treatment had similar results to RRMS without DMD. Patients on relapse did show an increased proportion of CD4 effector memory cells, Th17 cells and RTEs and patients with higher EDSS had a higher percentage of Th17 cells (OR 2.3,p=0.045).The results of this preliminary study do not favour a failure in central tolerance in MS but confirm involvement of Th17 cells which are associated with a higher degree of disability.

Predicting therapeutic response to fingolimod treatment in multiple sclerosis patients

“…The influence of previous NTZ treatment on the baseline levels of RTE remains to be clarified. Our group found in a previous work that NTZ stimulates the release of hematopoietic precursors and that patient under NTZ treatment shows an increase in RTE and transitional B cells . In the present study, we analyzed differences in RTE percentage at baseline between naïve and treated patients (either with injectable drugs or with NTZ), to discard a possible influence of former treatments on RTE baseline levels.…”