Multiple sclerosis is the most common autoimmune disorder of the CNS and represents the main cause of disability in young adults (Anderson et al. 1992). Despite the intense research, the therapy is still unsatisfactory. Most of our knowledge about the pathogenesis of this disease comes from studies on animal models, namely the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) (Wekerle 2008; Mix et al. 2010; Croxford et al. 2011). In this model, it has been demonstrated that T cells reactive against CNS antigen are the culprit of the disease (Compston and Coles 2002). These T cells, once activated in the peripheral organs, gain the capacity to infiltrate the CNS where they trigger an autoimmune destructive process (Odoardi et al Nature 2012). However, which T cell subset is triggered to induce the disease and where this process takes place is not known. It has been increasingly appreciated that immune cells of the mucous tissues, both in the intestine and in the lungs, play a decisive role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (Esplugues et al., 2011; Stanisavljevic et al., 2018; Odoardi et al., 2012; Hosang et al., 2022). Specifically, it has been suggested that innate lymphoid cells (ILC) have the major influence on the autoimmune response directed against the CNS, as observed in multiple sclerosis (Miljkovic et al., 2021). Since several years, question of the time and place of CNS-autoreactive T cells activation, whose answer would strongly improve our understanding of multiple sclerosis, represents the major focus of research both at the IBISS in Belgrade and at the IMSF in Göttingen. Based on this common scientific interest, we aim to establish a subject specialist network between the two institutions that will be instrumental for working together in addressing the importance of ILC of the gut and lung in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Moreover, this collaborative work will open new avenues of common research related to the other important unaswered question in multiple sclorosis studies, i.e. diversity of pathogenic mechanisms that relate to differences in the clinical courses observed in the patients. 

Partner in Germany: University of Goettingen

Coordinator for Serbia: Dr. Đorđe Miljković, Department of Immunology IBISS

Team members from IBISS:
Dr. Milica Lazarević, Research associate
Goran Stegnjaić, Research Assistant