Peptide conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino antisense oligomers targeting ITGA4 were also assessed for their effect in delaying disease progression in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model of multiple sclerosis.
We characterized naïve, central memory (CM), effector memory (EM) and terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells and their expression of CD49d and CD26 in peripheral blood in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls.
CD49d blockade by natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis affects steady-state hematopoiesis and mobilizes progenitors with a distinct phenotype and function.
Though our data only modestly argue for a role of ITGA4 in determining susceptibility to MS, we suggest that further examination of this gene, particularly the promoter region, is warranted.