Dynamics of Interferon System State Parameters during the Immune Therapy of Multiple Sclerosis: Individual Analysis

Three patients with obvious multiple sclerosis (MS) were observed in a dynamics of immune therapy based on administration of rIFN-beta preparation. The ability to produce IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma by stimulated peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of the patients was tested simultaneously with detection of PBL response to the in vitro IFN-beta priming action on the every 10th day of observation. It has been shown that positive clinical effect of recombinant IFN-beta therapy was associated with a partial restoration of initially decreased IFN-beta and IFN-beta production by PBL, and paralleled by reducing the cell IFN-beta sensitivity. On the other hand, increase of PBL response to the in vitro IFN-beta action was related with diminishing IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma production, and did precede the following MS exacerbation. Mechanisms of IFN-beta therapeutical action in patients with MS in a context of changing relations between the parameters of IFN system functioning are discussed. Possibility is underlined to use the IFN system state parameters, combined with the cell IFN sensitivity determination, for prognosis of disease progression.