Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation fails to stop demyelination and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis
2007 | journal article. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
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Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation fails to stop demyelination and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis
Metz, I.; Lucchinetti, C. F.; Openshaw, H.; Garcia-Merino, A.; Lassmann, H.; Freedman, M. S. & Atkins, H. L. et al. (2007)
Brain, 130 pp. 1254-1262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awl370
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Details
- Authors
- Metz, Imke; Lucchinetti, Claudia F.; Openshaw, Harry; Garcia-Merino, Antonio; Lassmann, Hans; Freedman, Marc S.; Atkins, H. L.; Azzarelli, Biagio; Kolar, Oldrich J.; Brueck, Wolfgang
- Abstract
- The present study analyses autopsy material from five multiple sclerosis patients who received autologous stem cell transplantation. A total of 53 white matter lesions were investigated using routine and immunohistochemical stainings to characterize the demyelinating activity, inflammatory infiltrates, acutely damaged axons and macrophages/microglial cells. We found evidence for ongoing active demyelination in all of the five patients. The inflammatory infiltrate within the lesions showed only very few T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells dominated the T cell population. B cells and plasma cells were completely absent from the lesions. High numbers of acutely damaged axons were found in active lesion areas. Tissue injury was associated with activated macrophages/microglial cells. The present results indicate that ongoing demyelination and axonal degeneration exist despite pronounced immunosuppression. Our data parallel results from some of the clinical phase I/II studies showing continued clinical disease progression in multiple sclerosis patients with high expanded disability system scores despite autologous stem cell transplantation.
- Issue Date
- 2007
- Status
- published
- Publisher
- Oxford Univ Press
- Journal
- Brain
- ISSN
- 0006-8950