Project R-8655

Innate lymphoid cells and genetic risk variants in multiple sclerosis (Research)

Innate lymphoid cells (ILC) are a recently described subset of lymphocytes with innate properties and can be subdivided into cytotoxic ILC and "helper" ILC. ILC have been well described in diseases where barrier function is disturbed, such as inflammatory bowel disease and skin inflammation. In multiple sclerosis (MS), the blood brain barrier which normally limits immune cell infiltration into the brain parenchyma, is broken down. Given the barrier dysfunction in MS, the implication of ILC in barrier diseases, and the genetic background of MS patients, we hypothesize that the number and subset distribution of ILC are altered in MS patients, and that this is associated with the presence of genetic risk variants for MS.

01 January 2018 - 31 December 2019