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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Flow Cytometric Characterization of Murine B Cell Development

Flow Cytometric Characterization of Murine B Cell Development

Published on: January 22, 2021

B cells undergo unique compartmentalized redistribution in multiple sclerosis.

Jürgen Haas¹, Isabelle Bekeredjian-Ding, Miriam Milkova

¹Division of Molecular Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.

Journal of Autoimmunity

|September 20, 2011

Summary

Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves distinct B cell (BC) changes in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Active MS shows reduced memory BC in blood and increased naive BC, with CSF accumulation of B cells and plasma cells, impacting immune responses.

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Area of Science:

Neuroimmunology
Immunology

Background:

B cells (BC) play a crucial role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis.
The distribution and function of BC in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during MS are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze B cell subsets and their reactivity in blood and CSF during active and stable MS, clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
To investigate the impact of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) on peripheral B cell homeostasis.

Main Methods:

Flow cytometry was used to analyze B cell subsets (whole BC, naïve, transitional, memory, plasma blasts, plasma cells) in blood and CSF.
Correlations were made between B cell patterns, CSF chemotactic activity, CXCL13 levels, and peripheral B cell immunoreactivity.

Main Results:

Active MS and CIS showed contracted systemic class-switched memory BC (CSM-BC) and expanded naive BC, TN-BC, and DNM-BC, with reduced B cell immunoreactivity.
CSF analysis revealed privileged accumulation of CSM-BC linked to CXCL13 and expansion of plasma blasts (PB) and plasma cells (PC).
Interferon-beta and natalizumab treatments induced distinct redistributions of circulating B cell subsets.

Conclusions:

Symptomatic CIS and MS are characterized by significant alterations in peripheral and CSF B cell homeostasis.
The findings suggest CSF B cells are primarily recruited from peripheral blood during active MS, while antibody-secreting cells are likely generated intrathecally.
B cell redistribution in MS resembles systemic autoimmunity and is modulated by DMDs, highlighting the critical role of B cells in MS.