Cerebrospinal fluid T and B lymphocyte kinetics related to exacerbations of multiple sclerosis.
Cerebrospinal fluid T and B lymphocyte populations were identified in 21 patients with relapsing and 10 patients with stable multiple sclerosis. The results indicate that the percentage of T cell is largest in the acute stage of a relapse (65 percent) and diminishes by the second week (41 percent). Conversely, the stable patients had a lower percentage of T cells (30 percent) and a relatively high percentage of nonreacting cells (66 percent). The proportion of T cells in the cerebrospinal fluid varies directly with the clinical activity of the disorder, further implicating cellular immune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D012008:Recurrence; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*