Multiple sclerosis as per the current state of knowledge is caused by fehlgesteuerte immune cells of the body and ius caused by covering of nerve cells in the central nervous system to attack and damage. A team of researchers at the Universities now found that the destructive activity of these immune cells by other cells of the immune system can be inhibited. With these protective cells is a particular type of so-called regulatory T cells. They are due to a protein on their cell surface than HLA-G-positive. Only two years ago was the new type of immune cells by researchers have been discovered.

In the current study, the researchers blood, fluid and brain tissue of patients with multiple sclerosis or other inflammatory diseases of the brain and spinal cord are suffering. It was shown that HLA-G-positive T-cells, a particularly high gradient, the blood vessels in the brain areas with inflamed nerve tissue to wander through. They follow chemical attractants, called chemokines. In the inflamed tissue regions could be an increased inhibition of immune cells involved in the inflammatory reactions are involved, can be observed.

According to the researchers ranges in patients with multiple sclerosis, the protective effect of HLA-G-positive T-cells do not seem to make the progression of the disease to stop. The researchers now hope that the body’s production of HLA-G-positive T-cells using an appropriate therapy to stimulate, to its effect in MS patients increase.