Increased in Vitro Induced CD4+ and Cd8+ T Cell Ifn-GM and CD4+ T Cell Il-10 Production in Stable Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is presumed to be a T-cell mediated chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Investigators previously demonstrated increased IFN-γ (pro-inflammatory) and IL-10 (counterregulatory anti-inflammatory) in MS. The balance of pro-inflammatory and counterregulatory anti-inflammatory cytokines may be important in the stabilization of disease activity. Purified CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from patients with clinically definite, stable relapsing MS (RRMS) were stimulated by anti-CD3 mAb or Con A for 48 hours and cytokine supernatants analysed for production of IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α (potential pro-inflammatory) and IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β (potential counterregulatory anti-inflammatory). Con A activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proinflammatory cytokine IL-2 secretion, CD4+ T cell IL-6 secretion, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell TNF-α secretion and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ secretion was decreased significantly in RRMS subjects compared to controls. CD3 activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell IL-6 secretion and CD4+ T cell TNF-α secretion was significantly decreased in MS subjects compared to controls. In contrast, there was increased CD3-induced IFN-γ in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and counterregulatory anti-inflammatory CD3-induced IL-10 secretion in CD4+ T cells in RRMS compared to controls. These data suggest that an equilibrium of a pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ) and a counterregulatory anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine may define stable clinically definite early RRMS.

Key Words:

• Multiple sclerosis
• IFN-γ
• IL-10
• CD4+ T cell
• CD8+ T cell