title: Monocytes in active multiple sclerosis: intact regulation of HLA-DR density in vitro despite decreased HLA-DR density in vivo.
abstract: HLA-DR expression on circulating monocytes varies as a function of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a putative immunopathological demyelinating disorder. Specifically, monocytes isolated from subjects with active MS exhibit reduced HLA-DR antigen density, and immunoregulatory aberrations such as impaired T lymphocyte-mediated suppression correlate strongly with this quantitative defect. To address the mechanism underlying this phenomenon, we compared in vitro regulation of HLA-DR by interferon beta (IFN beta), interferon gamma (IFN gamma), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in monocytes from patients with stable and active MS and normal individuals. Interferon-gamma and LPS enhanced monocyte expression of HLA-DR equally in both MS patient groups, suggesting that underexpression of HLA-DR in active MS was not explained by impaired in vivo monocyte responsiveness. Furthermore, interferon regulation of HLA-DR in normals and stable MS subjects was indistinguishable, indicating that aberrant interferon-mediated regulation of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on circulating monocytes does not appear to be a characteristic of the MS disease state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ransohoff
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Tuohy
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Barna
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rudick
mesh_terms: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma