Lysolecithin fusion of cells from multiple sclerosis patients with Vero cells

Investigations were performed on cell cultures derived from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in order to trace a possible virus infection as a cause of the disease. Cell cultures were established from one brain autopsy specimen and four lymph node biopsies from MS patients. Lymphocytes from 28 MS patients and six healthy controls were used for fusion or cocultivation experiments, either immediately after isolation or after mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). Lysolecithin fusion and cocultivation experiments were made with Vero cells and with, respectively: cultured brain cells, lymph node cells and lymphocytes from MS patients. Electron microscopical examination revealed intranuclear filamentous structures in 5 per cent of the cells in primary cultures of MS brain and lymph node and in control skin organ cultures. Multinucleated cells were found in six out of 19 cocultures of Vero cells and MS lymphocytes preincubated for 2 days at 37 degrees C. The cultures were tested for the presence of viruses, i.e. measles virus and virus producing hemadsorption with human type O and/or guinea pig erythrocytes and virus against which the MS patients showed serum FA-antibodies. No virus antigen could be demonstrated in the cells.