ECTRIMS 2021 | Characterizing the autoantigen-specific T-cell repertoire in MS

Olivia Thomas, PhD, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden, discusses her latest work on developing a method to characterize the autoreactive T-cell repertoire in vitro in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study used a bead-coupling method to test T-cell autoreactivity in patients receiving natalizumab treatment, first to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and then to 63 other candidate autoantigens. Strong autoreactivity was identified to 4 of these antigens. Dr Thomas discusses these findings, highlighting differences found between healthy patients and those with MS. The possibility of using this bead-coupling method in the future, as a diagnostic device to predict disease not just for MS, but for other autoreactive diseases, is also discussed. This interview took place at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress 2021.