B Cells Promote Induction of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Facilitating Reactivation of T Cells in the Central Nervous System

The efficacy of rituximab treatment in multiple sclerosis has renewed interest in the role of B cells in CNS autoimmunity. In this study, we show that B cells are the predominant MHC class II+ subset in the naive CNS in mice, and they constitutively express proinflammatory cytokines. Incidence of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced by adoptive transfer was significantly reduced in C3HeB/Fej μMT (B cell–deficient) mice, suggesting...