Reduced frequency of memory CD8+ T lymphocytes in cerebrospinal fluid and blood of patients with multiple sclerosis.
Three color flow cytometry was used to analyze immunoregulatory lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood (PB) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 21 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 15 age-matched healthy control subjects. Two cell surface antigens associated with T lymphocyte memory and activation, CD45R0 and CD29, were analyzed on the CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations, respectively. A selective decrease in the expression of the CD45R0 isoform among CD8+ cells was noted in both PB (p < 0.005) and CSF (p > 0.0001) of patients with MS as compared with the control group while the expression of CD29 did not differ between the groups. These changes could indicate a defective differentiation into mature memory CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with MS. Furthermore, the CD3+CD16/56+ T lymphocyte subset capable of mediating NK cell-like activities was investigated. Although this cell population is quantitatively small, a significant reduction of the proportion of this cell type was detected in both BP and CSF of the MS group compared with the controls (p < 0.01 and p > 0.001, respectively). Further studies are needed to establish the role of these observations in the pathogenesis of MS.
Svenningsson
A
A
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Andersen
O
O
Hansson
G K
GK
Stemme
S
S
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D019012:Integrin beta1; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
D019012:Integrin beta1; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens