Voskuhl RR, Peterson RS, Song B et al.
David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
J Neurosci 2009;29:11511–22.
Editor’s note: Leukocyte entry into the central nervous system (CNS) parenchyma is a key step in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This is well-documented by the clinical effects of natalizumab, which prevents leukocyte evasion from blood vessels by inhibiting their binding to adhesion molecules on endothelial cells. Whether cells endogenous to the CNS – other than endothelial cells – participate in regulating leukocyte entry into the CNS has remained controversial. Data supporting both a pro-inflammatory and an anti-inflammatory role of astrocytes exist (e.g.
Cell Mol Life Sci 2008;65:2702–20).