Suppressor T Cells in Family Members of Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Previous serial measurements of lymphocyte subpopulations in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) have demonstrated periodic reductions in the number of OKT8 positive (T8+) cells. In this longitudinal study, involving twice monthly samples from each participant and carried out in two phases lasting at least six and three months respectively, we have confirmed that fluctuations in T8+ cells occur in patients with MS and also found a significant reduction in this lymphocyte subpopulation in patients' spouses but not their siblings, compared with unrelated controls. The changes observed in spouses were related in time to those occurring in patients on 10/13 occasions from 5/9 families; no temporal relationship occurred in the remainder. Taking two or more low T8+ values as significant, 12/13 patients, 7/9 spouses, 6/13 siblings and 4/13 controls (chi 2 = 12.5; P less than 0.01) were abnormal at some stage. Our results provide indirect evidence for the role of environmental factors in determining certain immunological abnormalities present in patients with MS and illustrate the role of family studies in determining the specificity of these changes to the disease.

Dual labelling of circulating CD8 cells in patients with multiple sclerosis.

“…29 In the present study the percentage ofcryopreserved Leu 2a cells was also reduced in samples from six multiple sclerosis patients and five cohabitant relatives compared with four non-cohabitants and seven controls (table). This reduction in CD8 lymphocytes, defined either by OKT8 or Leu 2a was associated with lower percentages of Leu 2a/1 5 positive cells in multiple sclerosis patients than cohabitants, non-cohabitants or controls.…”

Human T-cell lymphotrophic viruses in patients with multiple sclerosis

“…It has been suggested that these observations result from crossreactivity with an as yet unidentified retrovirus. There is a periodic reduction in circulating CD8 positive cells in patients with multiple sclerosis, and we have shown similar abnormalities in their unaffected relatives living in close contact but not in other related or unrelated controls [2]. Our observation of low CD8 positive cells in the cohabitants of affected individuals prompted an investigation of exposure to common infectious agents within the family unit.…”

Binding characteristics of the glucocorticoid receptor in peripheral blood lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis

“…Our cell preparations contained between 96% and 98% lymphocytes, thus minimizing contamination by other leukocytes. Although changes in relative numbers of lymphocyte subtypes have been reported in MS [15,29], determination of lymphocyte sub-populations does not appear to be an absolute requirement, as GR binding parameters were demonstrated to be comparable between polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes [18,40,41], between B-and T-lymphocytes [2], and between OKT4 + and OKT8 + T-lymphocytes [22]. The dexamethasone-CRH test was devised to assess the function of the GR by measuring its ability to suppress CRH-induced secretion of ACTH and cortisol [43].…”