Neuropilin-1 (NRP1): A new marker for pathogenic autoreactive T-helper cells in autoimmune disease

Inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) leads to local damage causing peripheral disability. Adaptive immune responses may lead the way in autoimmune neuroinflammatory disease, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), as indicated by large genome-wide association studies, histologic analysis, and the efficacy of drugs targeting lymphocytes. 1 Research from our group and others indicates a previously underappreciated key role for T-helper (Th) cells in progressive MS and other neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). 2,3 Such Th cells initiate neuroinflammation after becoming inappropriately activated against self-antigen, leading to immune responses against self-tissues. Rapid identification of aberrant Th cells would