Increased natural killer cell chemotaxis to CXCL12 in patients with multiple sclerosis

•We designed transwell migration assays coupled to six-color flow cytometry.•Chemotaxis of four lymphocyte subsets was analyzed in MS and CIS patients.•NK cell migration is increased in patients in remission and CIS patients.•The frequency of NK cells expressing CXCR4 is higher in these patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease characterized by leukocyte infiltration into the central nervous system (CNS). Migration of lymphocyte subpopulations towards CXCL12 was analyzed coupled to six-color flow cytometry in untreated patients in the remitting phase, during relapse, in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and in healthy volunteers. Significantly higher migration rates of natural killer cells (CD45+CD3−CD16/56 +) were observed in patients in remission and CIS patients than in patients during relapse and in controls. Moreover, the frequency of CD3−CD16/56+CXCR4 + cells is higher in patients in remission and in CIS patients, but not during relapse.