title: Seasonal variation of interferon-gamma production in progressive multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. There is increased interferon (IFN)-gamma secretion in MS patients in vitro, and IFN-gamma administration induces exacerbations of disease suggesting a link between IFN-gamma and disease activity. We observed significantly increased IFN-gamma production in the autumn and winter months compared with the spring and summer months in chronic progressive MS, and this increase was linked to endogenous interleukin (IL)-12 production. Increased seasonal IFN-gamma was not observed in normal control subjects, and there were no seasonal changes in IL-10 in progressive MS. These results suggest a potential environmental link between dysregulated IFN-gamma production and MS disease progression and pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Balashov
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Olek
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma