Search for a retrovirus in long-term cultured cerebrospinal fluid cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with multiple sclerosis.
Long-term peripheral blood mononuclear cell (MNC) cultures stimulated with interleukin 2 (IL-2) or IL-2 + phytohemagglutinin were established from 33 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, 9 with other neurological diseases (OND), and 24 normal controls (C). Cultures were analysed for growth characteristics, reverse transcriptase (RT) in the culture medium, 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase in the cells, and cell morphology. None of these parameters differed in the MS group compared with the OND and C groups. Furthermore, 11 cerebrospinal fluid cell cultures were established without feeder cells. Morphology studies of the cells and RT assays of the supernatants from these cultures were normal. Induction studies by dexamethasone and 2-bromo-5'-deoxyuridine in 2 of these cultures did not reveal any signs of a virus. The significance of these results for the retrovirus hypothesis is discussed.
Höllsberg
P
P
Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
Møller-Larsen
A
A
Skou Pedersen
F
F
Justesen
J
J
Hansen
H J
HJ
Haahr
S
S
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D012190:Retroviridae