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Systemic lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. II. Immunologic evaluation
L F Kastrukoff1, J J Oger, W W Tourtellotte
1Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Immunologic functions are studied in conjunction with a placebo-controlled trial of lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN) in patients with chronic progressive (CP) multiple sclerosis. Prior to treatment, CD4+ cells are significantly increased and CD8+ cells decreased in the blood of MS patients. Both CD5+ and CD4+ cells increase significantly with IFN therapy early during the treatment phase of the trial, while the number of CD8+ cells decreases steadily, becoming significant at 6 months. CNS IgG synthesis rates increase with IFN treatment and maximize at 3 months. Serum antiviral activity also increases with IFN treatment. In the IFN-treated group, a trend toward improvement, determined clinically and by MRI, likely reflects the influence of a subpopulation of 10 patients. This subpopulation is now further characterized by an early increase in CNS IgG synthesis and numbers of CD5+ cells in the blood. Although these immune functions may identify a number of CP MS patients who might benefit from IFN, it is unlikely that these mechanisms actually mediate the potentially beneficial effects of this cytokine.
Immunologic functions are studied in conjunction with a placebo-controlled trial of lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN) in patients with chronic progressive (CP) multiple sclerosis. Prior to treatment, CD4+ cells are significantly increased and CD8+ cells decreased in the blood of MS patients. Both CD5+ and CD4+ cells increase significantly with IFN therapy early during the treatment phase of the trial, while the number of CD8+ cells decreases steadily, becoming significant at 6 months. CNS IgG synthesis rates increase with IFN treatment and maximize at 3 months. Serum antiviral activity also increases with IFN treatment. In the IFN-treated group, a trend toward improvement, determined clinically and by MRI, likely reflects the influence of a subpopulation of 10 patients. This subpopulation is now further characterized by an early increase in CNS IgG synthesis and numbers of CD5+ cells in the blood. Although these immune functions may identify a number of CP MS patients who might benefit from IFN, it is unlikely that these mechanisms actually mediate the potentially beneficial effects of this cytokine.