Effects of lipoic acid on migration of human B cells and monocyte-enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system characterized by inflammation and demyelination resulting in clinical disability. The rodent MS model suggests that infiltration of monocytes and B cells contributes to disease pathogenesis. Here, we compared the migratory capacity of human monocytes and B cells from healthy control (HC) and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) subjects, with or without lipoic acid (LA) treatment. Basal migration of monocyte-enriched PBMCs from RRMS subjects is significantly higher than HC PBMCs. LA treatment significantly inhibits monocyte and B cell migration in both cohorts, and may thus be therapeutically effective for treatment of MS.