Increased expression of T-bet in circulating B cells from a patient with multiple sclerosis and celiac disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and celiac disease (CD) are considered to be T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. We describe a woman affected by a relapsing-remitting demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and occult CID (MS-CID), who showed during neurologic exacerbations a strong increased expression off-bet, the key transcription factor for the development of Th1 cells, in circulating T, B cells and monocytes. Conversely, no difference of T-bet expression was observed in B cells from relapsing-remitting MS patients, either in relapse or in remission, and in controls. In the MS-CD patient, the interaction between MS-and CD-related inflammatory processes may result in an amplification of Th1 immune response. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.