title: Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotype and function during dexamethazone treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Five patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and three control patients with lumbar disc herniation were treated with dexamethazone during 14 days. The effect on peripheral blood T-cell subsets and on the proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and anti-mu antibody was analyzed. Before treatment, the proportion of CD3+ and CD4+ PBMC was similar in MS and control patients, but the proportion of CD8+ and DR+ PBMC was lower and the PBMC were less responsive to anti-mu stimulation in MS patients compared to controls. Steroid treatment induced reversible granulocytosis and lymphocytosis. CD3+ and CD4+ cells increased and DR+ cells decreased in MS patients but not in controls. Proliferation of anti-mu stimulated PBMC increased in MS-patients during the two weeks of treatment, but decreased in controls. The enhancement in the MS patients of pre-existing immune abnormalities suggests that a cautious attitude is warranted in the use of steroid treatment in chronic progressive MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmaggi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baldetorp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nespolo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandberg-Wollheim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D003907:Dexamethasone