Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease in which autoreactive lymphocytes mediate an immune response against self-antigens present in the central nervous system (CNS) and most medical approaches have focused on drug intervention of lymphocytes. However, therapeutic targeting of lymphocytes carries a significant risk concerning detrimental effects on adaptive immune memory. In contrast, the innate immune system is short-lived and directly responsible for tissue damage in the CNS. Thus, cell-specific targeting of this compartment carries a lower risk of undesirable side effects. We will investigate at Turku Bioscience how pathogenic innate cells differentiate in the animal model of MS and how we can block their detrimental activities to allow immune suppression independent of site effects on memory lymphocytic cells. These findings will provide novel approaches to treat inflammatory diseases, and have a major impact in promoting health.

2023

2027