[The role of the immune system in hereditary demyelinating neuropathies]

Hereditary neuropathies, e.g., Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, are inherited diseases of the peripheral nervous system causing chronic progressive motor and sensory dysfunction. Most neuropathies are due to mutations in myelin genes such as PMP22, P0, and the gap junction protein Cx32. Myelin mutant mice are regarded as suitable animal models for several forms of hereditary neuropathies and are important neurobiological tools for the evaluation of pathogenetic and therapeutic concepts in hereditary neuropathies. Using these animal models we could recently show that the immune system is involved in the pathogenesis of hereditary neuropathies. Due to the phenotypic similarities we also consider the immune system important for human inherited neuropathies, in particular since several case reports demonstrate a beneficial effect of immune therapies in patients with hereditary neuropathies. In this review we compare findings from animal models and human disease to elucidate the role of the immune system in hereditary neuropathies.