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Alteration of immune system function in tetraplegics. A pilot study
D I Campagnolo1, S E Keller, J A DeLisa
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UMD-New Jersey Medical School, Newark.
American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
|November 1, 1994
Summary
Spinal cord injury (SCI) can impair immune function by disrupting the autonomic nervous system. Cervical SCI patients showed reduced lymphocyte proliferation, potentially increasing infection risk.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Autonomic Nervous System
- Immune Function
Background:
- The autonomic nervous system modulates immune responses.
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) may disrupt sympathetic nervous system outflow.
- Cervical SCI specifically could impact immune regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of complete cervical SCI on peripheral blood immune function.
- To test the hypothesis that cervical SCI dysregulates sympathetic nervous system outflow, impacting immunity.
- To compare immune parameters between individuals with cervical SCI and neurologically intact controls.
Main Methods:
- Collected peripheral blood lymphocytes from five individuals with complete cervical SCI and five controls.
- Performed flow cytometry for cell counts.
- Assessed lymphocyte proliferation response to mitogens and natural killer cell cytotoxicity.
Main Results:
- Individuals with complete cervical SCI exhibited impaired lymphocyte proliferation response compared to controls.
- No significant differences were noted in cell counts or natural killer cell cytotoxicity between groups.
- Psychiatric symptom scores did not correlate with immune function alterations.
Conclusions:
- Complete cervical SCI leads to alterations in immune function, specifically reduced lymphocyte proliferation.
- These immune changes may be linked to dysregulation of the sympathetic nervous system.
- Impaired immune function following cervical SCI could contribute to increased susceptibility to infections.