Anti-CD20 therapy depletes activated myelin-specific CD8 + T cells in multiple sclerosis
Significance Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. CD8 + T cells have been strongly implicated in MS pathogenesis, but it is unclear whether myelin is a CD8 + T cell autoantigenic target in MS. This study demonstrated that while myelin-specific CD8 + T cells are present at similar frequencies in untreated MS patients and healthy subjects, the proportion of memory and CD20-expressing myelin-specific CD8 + T cells was increased in MS patients, suggesting prior antigen encounter. This activated phenotype was reversible as the memory and CD20-expressing populations of certain myelin-specific CD8 + T cells were reduced following anti-CD20 treatment.