Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T10:29:52.253Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 4 - Immunologyof MS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2012

Gregory Atkins
Affiliation:
Trinity College, Dublin
Sandra Amor
Affiliation:
VU Medical Center, Amsterdam
Jean Fletcher
Affiliation:
Trinity College, Dublin
Kingston Mills
Affiliation:
Trinity College, Dublin
Get access

Summary

This chapter reviews the current knowledge on the role of the immune system in MS. Much of the research on the MS immunology has focused on the role of the adaptive immune system, particularly CD4 T cells, since autoreactive myelin-specific CD4 T cells are thought to be responsible for initiating disease. The chapter discusses the contribution of innate and adaptive arms of the immune system to MS. The disease-modifying therapies (DMT) that are available for the treatment of MS have immunomodulatory effects on the immune system. The current therapeutic strategies are largely ineffective in PPMS and SPMS and therefore one of the major challenges ahead will be to develop effective therapies for use in the progressive forms of MS. Progressive MS is associated with neurodegenerative processes secondary to the inflammation during RRMS. There is an increasing evidence of an important role for the innate immune system in perpetuating progressive disease.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×