In multiple sclerosis (MS), immune cells invade the brain and spinal cord and cause inflammation and damage. This leads to loss of function within the central nervous system.
Specific immune cells called Th17 cells are involved in brain inflammation in MS. Th17 cells are “recruited” into the brain and spinal cord in MS from other parts of the body, but how this happens is not fully understood. Drugs that can block movement of Th17 cells into the brain could be new treatment options for MS.
Some current MS therapies work by blocking T cell recruitment into the brain and spinal cord, but these can have unwanted side effects on the immune system. We cannot yet block the movement of Th17 cells in a very targeted way in MS.
In this project, Dr Iain Comerford and his team investigated the role of several proteins that they believe work together to promote movement of Th17 cells into the brain. To do this, they generated models of MS lacking these proteins, to tease out their role in this process.
By “deleting” multiple proteins in a laboratory model of MS, Dr Comerford and his team were able to pinpoint which are needed for Th17 to move into the brain and spinal cord, identifying potential targets for new therapies.
Two of these proteins are made by cells in the brain, and act like beacons to attract Th17 cells to the brain.
Another two of the proteins are found on the Th17 cells themselves, and these work together to move the cells towards those beacon signals and into the brain.
The team also mapped where Th17 and these molecules are located in the inflamed brain.
Importantly, they also used drugs that specifically block these proteins to see the effect on disease in this model.
This project also supported early-career researchers and contributed to multiple awards and recognition at national conferences. A manuscript has been prepared for publication and the outcomes will be updated once these findings are published.
These findings provide a strong foundation for developing more targeted therapies that block harmful immune cell entry into the brain, with the potential to reduce inflammation while minimising broader immune side effects.
Updated 31 March 2026
$246,953
2023
3 years
Past project
