Science Spotlight: T cell response predicts longer survival in ALS patients

Scientists from University of California San Diego and Columbia University identified autoimmune responses to epitopes derived from C9orf72 protein, mutations in which are the most common genetic cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a significant contributor to frontotemporal dementia (FTD). These immune responses, particularly their balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory features, could help explain the heterogeneity in survival time among patients with these diseases.

The authors of the Nature article found that wild-type peptides from C9orf72 induce CD4⁺ T cell responses involving both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, but skew toward the latter, including anti-inflammatory/regulatory cytokines IL-5 and IL-10. ...