Conjugal multiple sclerosis: immunogenetic characterization and analysis of T- and B-cell reactivity to myelin proteins.
We describe two families with conjugal multiple sclerosis. Onset of symptoms in the husbands occurred 11 and 17 years after onset of relapsing/remitting symptoms in their wives. There were no similarities regarding clinical manifestations of MS within each family. Evaluation of T-cell repertoire by enumeration of cells secreting interferon-gamma in response to proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin basic protein (MBP), and to various synthetic MBP peptides revealed similar patterns of T-cell reactivity within the families both in MS-affected parents and unaffected children. Genomic HLA-DR-DQ typing showed that T-cell reactivity was independent of HLA class II phenotype. Analysis of B-cell responses in blood showed low numbers of cells secreting IgG, IgA, or IgM antibodies against MBP, PLP, myelin-associated glycoprotein, and myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein both in MS-affected and unaffected family members. In conclusion, our study of two families with conjugal MS has shown a dominant T-cell response against the same MBP peptide within the family both in MS-affected parents and unaffected children, and this T-cell response seems to be independent of the HLA class II phenotypes of the family members.
Fredrikson
S
S
Department of Neurology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
Michelsberg
J
J
Hillert
J
J
Wang
Z
Z
Sun
J B
JB
Olerup
O
O
Olsson
T
T
Link
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010375:Pedigree; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*
D006681:HLA-D Antigens; C571326:MOG protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein