T-cell subsets in multiple sclerosis: A comparative study between cell surface antigens and function

Immunoregulatory T cells in multiple sclerosis: Markers and functions

“…Finally Weiner et al [49] recently reported preliminary evidence of an increase of in vitro spontaneous Ig secretion in the absence of PWM in active MS, which could be more often detected in patients exhibiting high T4/T8 ratios. In our hands, IgG, IgA, and IgM spontaneous secretions were not found to be elevated in progressive MS [47].…”

“…Several authors noticed an increase of PWM-triggered Ig synthesis in active MS [2,16,21,47] in contradiction to some other reports [25,37]. Various pathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed to explain such an abnormality including a functional defect of suppressor T-cells [2,16], or a hyperreactivity of B-cells, partly refractory to suppressor signals [16].…”

“…Con A induced suppression was found normal in stable MS patients and depressed in a large proportion of active MS patients [3,47], with a transient increase over normal values at the time of recovery from acute relapse [3,14].…”

Cell-Mediated Immune Functions in Multiple Sclerosis

“…In active disease, most groups have ob served a slight decrease in percentages of T cells expressing the pan T cell markers [Paty et al, 1981[Paty et al, , 1983Antel et al, 1984b;Tjernlund et al, 1984;Reder et al, 1984;Thompson et al, 1985;Albala et al, 1985] but here also other groups have not observed significant differences [Mingioli and McFarlin, 1984;Bach et al, 1985;Hirsch et al, 1985].…”

“…After 3 days cells are washed and their DNA synthesis is blocked by mitomycin C. Irradiation should be avoided as it abrogates suppression [Siegal and Siegal, 1977], Cells are then added to freshly isolated responder cells which are stimulated with Con A and suppression is measured as a ratio between the amount of Con-A-induced DNA synthesis in the re sponder cells plus Con-A-stimulated sup pressor cells versus the amount of DNA syn thesized by responder cells + unstimulated cells. Multiple groups have consistently dem onstrated a reduction in suppression during active clinical disease Antel et al, 1978Antel et al, , 1979Antel et al, , 1986Neigh bor and Bloom, 1979;Sheramata et al, 1982;Haahr et al, 1983;Tjernlund et al, 1984;Gonzalez et al, 1979;Oger et al, 1985;O'Gorman et al, 1987]. Additionally, Con-A-induced suppression appears to fluc tuate with changes in clinical disease activity falling prior to an attack and rising to levels above those seen in normal controls during the remitting phase of the disease [Antel et al, , 1979, Difficulties have arisen in determining the exact mechanism of Con-Ainduced suppression although a recent re port suggested the functional suppressor de fect in MS patients is in the OKT8 cell subset [Antel et al, 1986].…”