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Unusual intranuclear filaments in the circulating lymphocytes of patients with multiple sclerosis and optic neuritis
Abstract:
Mononuclear cells obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and optic neuritis (ON) were examined by electron microscopy. Unusual intranuclear filaments identical with the so-called paramyxovirus-like filaments were found in circulating lymphocytes from 5 patients with MS and 3 with ON. They were observed in 0.1 to 0.5% of the mononuclear cells. Electron microscopy of the blood cells from 5 other patients with ON, 3 patients with neurologic diseases other than MS, and 4 normal subjects failed to reveal similar structures. The filaments were also absent from blood cells from blood cells from normal subjects during the process of autolysis.
Insights
Unusual intranuclear filaments were found in lymphocytes of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and optic neuritis (ON). These paramyxovirus-like structures were absent in healthy individuals, suggesting a potential link to these neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Virology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) and optic neuritis (ON) are debilitating neurological conditions.
- The etiology of MS and ON remains incompletely understood, with potential viral or autoimmune components.
- Intranuclear inclusions in circulating cells can offer insights into disease pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of unusual intranuclear filaments in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with MS and ON.
- To compare findings in patients with MS and ON to those with other neurological diseases and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Electron microscopy was used to examine peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
- Samples were obtained from patients diagnosed with MS, ON, other neurological diseases, and healthy volunteers.
- Cells from normal subjects undergoing autolysis were also examined as a control.
Main Results:
- Unusual intranuclear filaments, resembling paramyxovirus-like structures, were identified in circulating lymphocytes of 5 MS patients and 3 ON patients.
- These filaments were observed in a small percentage (0.1–0.5%) of mononuclear cells in affected patients.
- Similar structures were not detected in blood cells from 5 other ON patients, 3 patients with other neurological diseases, or 4 healthy controls, nor in autolyzed cells from normal subjects.
Conclusions:
- The presence of paramyxovirus-like intranuclear filaments in a subset of MS and ON patients is a novel finding.
- These structures may represent a potential biomarker or etiological factor in MS and ON.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the nature and significance of these filaments in the pathogenesis of these neurological disorders.