Project R-1476

IWT grant: Macrophages as mediators of protectieve auto-immunity. (Research)

MS is characterized by T-cells reactive against myelin components, oligodendrocytapoptosis and the presence of myelin-fagocytistic macrophages in sclerotic plaques. The exact contribution of the latter macrophage population in the neuro-inflammatory response in MS lesions is still not known. There is still uncertainty about how the micro-environment in the parenchyma, in which the myelin fagocytistic macrophages during MS, have an influence on their differentiation and function. Based on previous studies and preliminary results from our researchgroup, I suggest that myelin phagocytosis by macrophages induces an anti-inflammatory, protective phenotype in these immune cells. Possibly, these myelin-fagocytistic macrophages are involved in the recovery phase of RR-MS patients, among other things the induction of an anti-inflammatory immune response and modulating oligodendrocyt viability. The aim of this project is to get a better insight in the phenotype and possible protective function of myelin-fagocytistic macrophages in sclerotic plaques.

01 January 2009 - 31 December 2012