[DPB 1 *0501-associated opticomyelitis and atopic myelitis: novel disease entities].
To clarify the relationship between Th 1/Th 2 balance and clinical features, we studied the intracellular IFN gamma-positive versus IL-4-positive cell ratio in peripheral blood CD 4 T cells by flow cytometry and measured total and allergen-specific IgE by ELISA in 227 patients with various neurologic diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), myelitis and HAM/TSP, and 42 healthy hospital subjects. The intracellular IFN gamma/IL-4 ratio in the patients with acute myelitis was significantly decreased, and the total serum IgE level and frequency of mite antigen-specific IgE were significantly elevated as compared with the controls. Patients with HAM/TSP, however, had a significantly higher intracellular IFN gamma/IL-4 ratio, lower total IgE level, and lower frequency of cedar pollen-specific IgE than did the controls. The patients with recurrent opticomyelitis (ROM) had a significantly higher frequency of relapse, higher EDSS score, and lower number of brain MRI lesions than the patients with conventional MS, and only those with ROM showed a significant association with the HLA-DPB 1 *0501 allele. The ROM patients had a significantly higher intracellular IFN gamma/IL-4 ratio and IL-4-/IFN-gamma + cell percentages than the controls. These findings suggest that the Th 2 cell response predominates in acute myelitis with hyperIgEaemia (atopic myelitis), whereas the Th 1 cell response predominates in ROM and HAM/TSP.
Kira
J
J
Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University.
D000818:Animals; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D009187:Myelitis / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; C071170:HLA-DPB1 antigen; D007073:Immunoglobulin E