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B-cells again pointed as the culprit in MS.

Of course this does not exclude any other research way (clamidia? ccsvi? iron? guts?). All can be connected. But now it is absolutely clear that B-cells are a big piece of the puzzle.

B cells from patients with multiple sclerosis induce cell death via apoptosis in neurons in vitro
http://www.jni-journal.com/article/S016 ... text?cc=y=

Abstract

B cells mediate multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis by mechanisms unrelated to immunoglobulin (Ig). We reported that supernatants (Sup) from cultured B cells from blood of relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) patients, but not normal controls (NC), were cytotoxic to rat oligodendrocytes (OL). We now show that RRMS blood B cells, not stimulated in vitro, secrete factor/s toxic to rat and human neurons. Cytotoxicity is independent of Ig and multiple cytokines, not complement-mediated, and involves apoptosis. The factor/s have an apparent mw of >300 kDa. B cells could contribute to damage within the central nervous system by secreting molecules toxic to OL and neurons.

Thanks to MSUK we have a new report about the same:

B-cell-secret toxins found to kill neurons and myelin-producing cells (13/07/17)

http://www.ms-uk.org/b-cell-secret-toxi ... lls-130717

According to a recent study, published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology, the B-cells of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) secrete toxic substances that cause neurons and myelin-forming cells to die. However, researchers were unable to identify the molecules responsible for the toxicity.

The doctors leading the research - Dr. Robert Lisak of Wayne State University in Detroit, Dr. Amit Bar-Or of McGill University in Montreal - and their teams are now working on identifying the factor that cause cell death, and discover if there is a link to progressive MS.

In the lab, researchers looked at the blood of RRMS patients and discovered that B-cells killed lab-grown neurons and oligodendrocyte cells, which form myelin, a protective coating for nerve cells. Deterioration of the myelin coating and the death of neurons are hallmarks of MS.

The team had previously conducted research with just three people and three controls, which found that B-cells from MS patients kill oligodendrocytes, so they went on to include 13 patients and 13 controls.

These toxic molecules were found to have no impact on other types of central nervous system cells, they only killed neurons and myelin-producing cells.

Researchers said the B-cells trigger a process called apoptosis that tells the cell to die when exposed to stressful factors or toxins.

Although the research teams screened around 40 inflammation-related substances they were unable to identify what caused the cells to die.

In the next phase of the study, the teams plan to learn more about the working process of this toxin and the cause.

In addition to testing B-cells from progressive MS patients, the team will examine patients with other autoimmune conditions to see if the process is unique to MS or not.

And there is another similar report:

Secretory products of multiple sclerosis B cells are cytotoxic to oligodendroglia in vitro

http://www.jni-journal.com/article/S016 ... X/fulltext

Abstract

B cells are important in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and some of the effects are not dependent on maturation of B cells into immunoglobulin (Ig) producing plasmablasts and plasma cells. B cells present antigen, activate T cells, and are involved in immunoregulation and cytokine secretion.