mRNA-expression patterns of Fas and its signalling cascade in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE)

Aims: Recent studies showed that Fas expression in leukocytes differs during the course of disease in MS. Fas can regulate a chronic immune response by inducing apoptosis through FADD and Caspase 8. Binding of cFlip instead of Caspase 8 changes the signalling towards survival. Our objective was to characterize the mRNA-expression levels of Fas, FADD, Caspase 8 and cFlip in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS and in leukocytes from the spleen and the CNS in EAE.