removal of several lymphocyte subsets using an anti-CD52 depleting antibody has been shown to impede disease progression. In particular, the pathogenic role(s) of non-CD4+ T cell lymphocytes is relatively poorly understood and under-researched, despite evidence that these subsets contribute to disease pathology or regulation. For example, the observed oligoclonal expansion of CD8+ T cells within the CNS compartment supports a local activation. CD8+ T cells with polarized cytolytic granules are seen in close proximity to oligodendrocytes and demyelinated axons in MS tissues. The presence of B cells in inflammatory lesions and antibodies in the CSF have long been recognized as features of MS and Rituximab, a B cell depleting therapy, has been shown to be highly effective to treat MS. Intriguingly, the putative MS therapeutic reagent Daclizumab may function in part through the expansion of a subset of immunoregulatory NK cells. NKT and ?d T cells may also play a role in CNS autoimmunity, given that they respond to lipid antigens and that myelin is lipid-rich. While different animal models recapitulate some of these aspects of human disease, identifying appropriate models and measures to investigate the role of these less well-understood lymphocytes in MS remains a challenge for the field. This Frontiers research topic aims to create a platform for both animal- and human-focused researchers to share their original data, hypotheses, future perspectives and commentaries regarding the role of these less-well understood lymphocyte subsets (CD8+ T cells, B cells, NK cells, NK T cells, ?d T cells) in the pathogenesis of CNS autoimmunity. |