Impaired measles virus-specific cytotoxic T cell responses in multiple sclerosis.
To assess whether an virus-specific immune defect may be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), we have examined the ability to generate measles virus-and influenza virus-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) in patients with MS, normal individuals, and other disease controls (ODC). The mean (+/- SEM) measles virus-specific CTL response for normal individuals and ODC was 26.9 +/- 2.9% (N = 17) and 26.7 +/- 2.8% (N = 13) specific lysis, respectively. In contrast, the capacity of MS patients to generate measles virus-specific CTL was markedly diminished. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from MS patients stimulated with measles virus lysed their measles virus-infected autologous B cell line at a group mean level of 6.0 +/- 1.4% (N = 16) specific lysis. MS patients had significantly lower measles virus-specific CTL responses than normal individuals (p less than 0.00001) or ODC (p less than 0.0001). Importantly, this lowered response did not reflect a generalized depressed cytolytic activity of MS patients, since influenza virus-specific CTL and NK activity from these patients were comparable to normals and ODC. Thus, in MS there is a significant depression of measles virus-specific CTL which suggests that this virus-specific immune dysfunction may play a role in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
S
S
Jacobson
M L
ML
Flerlage
H F
HF
McFarland
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes