Journal Club 7/22/22

Last week our researchers and physicians discussed a paper about the identification of anti-oligodendrocyte antibodies and their implications in MSdisease pathology.

MSis an autoimmune disease characterized by damage to the Central Nervous System (CNS), specifically to myelin sheaths and myelinating cells, or oligodendrocytes. Researchers aimed to identify whether the presence of anti-oligodendrocyte antibodies are implicated in the clinical manifestations of MS, and whether they play a role in CNS tissue damage. Serum antibodies were identified through a tissue-based immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using mouse brain tissue. They found that anti-oligodendrocyte antibodies were present in some patients with Primary Progressive MS, and Secondary Progressive MS, but not in patients with Relapsing-Remitting MS, or any other undiagnosed inflammation of the CNS. Data also suggests that MS patients who are positive for anti-oligodendrocyte antibodies may present with more disability and cognitive impairment in comparison to those without anti-oligodendrocyte antibodies. This work suggests that anti-oligodendrocyte antibodies could serve as a potential biomarker for MS severity and progression.