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Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
Autophagy-independent increase of ATG5 expression in T cells of multiple sclerosis patients
Verica Paunovic1, Irena Vukovic Petrovic1, Marina Milenkovic1
1Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 1, Belgrade 11000, Serbia.
Abstract:
Autophagy, a process of controlled self-digestion which regulates cell homeostasis, is involved in innate and adaptive immunity. We investigated the expression of autophagy genes and autophagic activity in distinct lymphocyte populations in treatment-naive MS patients. The mRNA and protein levels of autophagy-related (ATG)5, required for autophagosome formation, were increased in CD4+ and CD4- T cells, but not B cells of MS patients compared to control subjects. The expression of other investigated autophagy genes, as well as the autophagic activity, did not significantly differ between the two groups. ATG5 mRNA levels in CD4+ T cells from MS patients were positively correlated with those of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor. These data suggest that autophagy-independent increase in ATG5 expression might be associated with the proinflammatory capacity of T cells in multiple sclerosis.
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