Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40443664›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in immunology2025

The role of microglia in multiple sclerosis: implications for treatment with Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Patrick Vermersch, Laura Airas, Thomas Berger, Florian Deisenhammer, Nikolaos Grigoriadis, Hans-Peter Hartung, Melinda Magyari, Veronica Popescu, Carlo Pozzilli, Maura Pugliatti and 3 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Patrick Vermersch *Univ. Lille, Inserm U1172 LilNCog, CHU Lille, FHU, Precise, Lille, France.
Laura AirasDivision of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Thomas BergerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Florian DeisenhammerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Nikolaos GrigoriadisLaboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology, Second Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Hans-Peter HartungDepartment of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Melinda MagyariDanish Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Veronica PopescuUniversity MS Centre, Hasselt-Pelt, Belgium.
Carlo PozzilliMultiple Sclerosis Center, S. Andrea Hospital, Department of Human Neuroscience, University Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Maura PugliattiDepartment of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Bart Van WijmeerschUniversity MS Centre, Hasselt-Pelt, Belgium.
Magd ZakariaDepartment of Neurology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Celia Oreja-Guevara *Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by inflammation and neurodegeneration. The pathophysiology of MS, especially its progressive forms, involves various cellular components, including microglia, the primary resident immune cells of the CNS. This review discusses the role of microglia in neuroinflammation, tissue repair, and neural homeostasis, as well as their involvement in MS and explores potential therapeutic strategies targeting microglial function. Methods: A literature search conducted in August 2023 and updated in March 2025, using the PubMed database, focused on articles relating to microglia and MS published in 2018-2025. Additionally, ongoing clinical trials of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors were identified through the ClinicalTrials.gov website in November 2023 and updated in March 2025. Results: Microglia are highly adaptive and exhibit various functional states throughout different life stages and play critical roles in neuroinflammation, tissue repair, and neural homeostasis. Their altered activity is a prominent feature of MS, contributing to its pathogenesis. Imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) provide insights into microglial activity in MS. BTK inhibitors and other novel treatments for MS, including masitinib and frexalimab, show promise in modulating microglial function and influencing the disease progression rate. Conclusions: The multifaceted roles of microglia in CNS development, immune surveillance, and particularly in the pathogenesis of MS highlight the potential of targeting microglial functions in MS treatment. Emerging research on the involvement of microglia in MS pathophysiology offers promising avenues for developing novel therapies, especially for progressive MS, potentially improving patient outcomes in this debilitating disease.

Indexed as

Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine KinaseMicrogliaMultiple SclerosisProtein Kinase InhibitorsAnimalsHumansTyrosine Kinase InhibitorsAgammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine KinaseBTK protein, humanProtein Kinase InhibitorsTyrosine Kinase Inhibitorscentral nervous systemdisease managementmicrogliamultiple sclerosisneuroinflammation

Identifiers

PMID40443664
PMCPMC12119304

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.