{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T21:20:58Z","timestamp":1791580858631,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,11]],"date-time":"2025-07-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752192000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The traditional paradigm of multiple sclerosis (MS) as a T cell-mediated disorder has been challenged by the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting CD20-expressing lymphocytes. Although these are mostly represented by B cells, the CD20 marker is expressed by 2\u20136% of T cells (CD20+ T), which are effectively depleted in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients by anti-CD20 mAbs. CD20+ T cells are characterized by a pro-inflammatory phenotype and increased potential for migrating and invading the central nervous system (CNS) compared to CD20\u2212 T cells. Furthermore, CD20+ T cells are detected within brain inflammatory lesions from MS patients and actively participate in the experimental MS model. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on CD20+ T cells, from their identification and characterization to evidence of depletion by disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), likely contributing to therapeutic efficacy. Conflicting hypotheses on the origin and development of CD20+ T cells will also be discussed, as well as evidence from clinical and preclinical studies supporting their pathogenetic role in MS.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms26146655","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,11]],"date-time":"2025-07-11T13:44:19Z","timestamp":1752241459000},"page":"6655","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["CD20+ T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis: From Pathogenesis to Treatment-Induced Depletion"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Anna Chiara","family":"Mazzeo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Calabresi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1740-4522","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina","family":"Damato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Emergency Neurology, Careggi University Hospital, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gregorio","family":"Spagni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Emergency Neurology, Careggi University Hospital, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Massacesi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Emergency Neurology, Careggi University Hospital, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1869-7067","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alice","family":"Mariottini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Emergency Neurology, Careggi University Hospital, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1622","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)30481-1","article-title":"Multiple sclerosis","volume":"391","author":"Thompson","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet Lond. 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