title: ELI-spot of Th-1 cytokine secreting PBMC's in multiple sclerosis: correlation with MRI lesions.
abstract: The Th1-like cytokines, interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and lymphotoxin alpha (LT-alpha) have been implicated in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of immune mediated demyelination. These cytokines have been associated with opening of the blood brain barrier (BBB) in EAE and in vitro, but not in MS. We used an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELI-spot) assay to measure relative numbers of cytokine-secreting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from eight MS patients who were followed with serial monthly contrast-enhanced head magnetic resonance imagings (MRI) and phlebotomy. We found a significant positive correlation between changes in IL-2 secreting cells and MRI lesions over a 6-month time period. There was a weaker association between contrast-enhancing MRI lesions and IFN-gamma or LT-alpha secreting cells. These data are the first to show a significant positive correlation between any cytokine and serial gadolinium (Gd-) MRI disease activity in MS patients. The association between IFN-gamma and LT-alpha secretion and MRI lesions is less clear.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunology Branch of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1400, USA. pcalabresi@lifespan.org
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Calabresi
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Farnon
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bash
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawanashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maloni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: McFarland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines