Around 2.5 million people in the world have multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). EU researchers investigated a crucial molecular player in the development and possible treatment of the disease.
Type I regulatory (Tr1) cells, a type of T cell, undoubtedly have a critical part to play in MS. Impaired Tr1 cell production is a hallmark of the disease, and when production is induced in a mouse MS model, inflammation of the CNS is prevented. Another important molecule is interleukin-27 (IL-27), a key inducer of Tr1 that mediates its immunosuppressive effects.
Further information: Molecular basis of multiple sclerosis development