title: Systemic lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. II. Immunologic evaluation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Kastrukoff
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Oger
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Tourtellotte
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Paty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha