Cervical lymph node B cell subset resists depletion and sustains lytic Epstein Barr-virus signature in patients with multiple sclerosis

In deep cervical lymph nodes of patients with multiple sclerosis, DN B cells resist anti-CD20 depletion and retain an EBV lytic signature, sustaining plasmablast differentiation during therapy.

• Why it matters: Anti-CD20 therapies are effective in MS, yet their incomplete effects in CNS-targeting priming sites may allow EBV-driven B cell programs to persist and sustain pathology.
• What they did: Using single-cell transcriptomics with paired sampling, the study compared effects of anti-CD20 versus other therapies on deep cervical lymph nodes and circulation, focusing on B cell subsets and EBV lytic signatures.
• The result: Switched and unswitched memory B cells were depleted uniquely by anti-CD20 in both sites, while DN B cells were not; DN B cells continued contributing to plasmablast differentiation and EBV lytic signature retention during anti-CD20.