Autoreactive T lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis: pathogenic role and therapeutic targeting

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), leading to demyelination. Accumulating evidence suggests that MS is an autoimmune disease, mediated by autoreactive T cells with specificity for myelin antigens. The identity of the brain antigens, which are the primary targets of the autoimmune process remains unknown, but myelin basic protein (MBP) is a likely candidate. We will overview some of the experimental evidence, suggesting that MBP reactive T cells hold a central position in the pathogenesis of MS, and discuss how these autoreactive T cells can be therapeutically targeted by T cell vaccination.