Mult Scler 2001 Jun;7(3):145-50
Killestein J, Den Drijver BF, Van
der Graaff WL, Uitdehaag BM, Polman CH, Van Lier RA.
Department of Neurology, VU Medical
Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the expression of cytokines
in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells derived from peripheral blood of untreated
multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with either relapsing-remitting (RR),
secondary progressive (SP) or primary progressive (PP) MS and healthy controls
(HC).
BACKGROUND:
MS is an immune-mediated disease
and cytokines hove been hypothesized to contribute significantly to disease
progression. Compared to the relapse-onset (RR, SP) form of the disease,
PPMS patients have different clinical, immunological and pathological features.
Surprisingly, the ability of their circulating T cells to produce immunoregulatory
cytokines has not been extensively studied so far.
METHODS:
Seventy-two MS patients (24 RR, 26
SP, 22 PP) and 34 HC were studied. Stimulated peripheral blood derived
CD4+ and CD8+ T MS patients express significantly more CD4+ and CD8+ T
cells were analyzed for IFN-gamma, IL-2, TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13
production.
RESULTS:
Cells producing IFN-gamma compared
to HC. Compared to the other forms of the disease, PPMS patients display
a significant decrease in CD4+ T cells producing IL-2, IL-13 and TNF-alpha
and a significant increase in CD8+ T cells producing IL-4 and IL-10.
CONCLUSIONS:
The data presented here demonstrate
that patients with PPMS express less pro- and more anti-inflammatory cytokine
producing T cells compared to the relapse-onset form of the disease, confirming
the view on PPMS as a distinct disease entity.
PMID: 11475436 [PubMed - in process]