Meningeal B-Cell Follicles in MS

These researchers sought to describe the location and frequency of ectopic, lymphoid-like B-cell structures in relation to meningeal inflammation, gray-matter demyelination, and multiple sclerosis (MS) progression. They examined the meninges in 123 cases of secondary-progressive MS that came to autopsy.

In 87% of the cases, the researchers identified signs of meningeal inflammation. Immunohistochemically-positive, ectopic, B-cell, follicle-like structures were present in 40%. The authors used coronal brain slices to examine the spatial relationship of B-cell follicles and cortical demyelination in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. Meningeal follicles were adjacent to areas of subpial gray-matter demyelination, which were ribbon-like…