Lymphotoxin-dependent elevated meningeal 1 CXCL13:BAFF ratios drive grey matter injury, Nature Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41590-025-02359-5
CXCL13 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 13) is a chemokine (a molecule that cells migrate towards) that acts as a B-cell attractant, guiding their movement and organizing immune responses, especially in lymphoid tissues. It binds to the CXCR5 receptor (high on B cells and T cells that help B cells), playing key roles in antibody responses, and the development of memory B cells. Beyond normal immunity, elevated CXCL13 levels are linked to various autoimmune diseases (like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis) and cancers.
BAFF refers to B cell activating factor, a crucial cytokine in the immune system for B-cell survival, maturation, and differentiation, vital for the immune response.
Its overactivity is linked to autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis
To test the validity of their findings in humans, the researchers measured the CXCL13-to-BAFF ratio in postmortem brain tissues from people who had MS and in the cerebrospinal fluid of a living cohort of people with MS. In both cases, a high CXCL13-to-BAFF ratio was associated with greater compartmentalized inflammation in the brain.
Source: multiple-sclerosis-research.org