Short-term treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients with interferon (IFN)-beta1B transiently increases the blood levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and IFN-gamma without significantly modifying those of IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha.
We have studied the impact of short-term treatment with interferon (IFN)-beta1b of relapsing remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS) patients' blood levels of type 1 and type 2 cytokines such as IFN-gamma, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. These cytokines were measured by solid-phase ELISA. Serum samples were obtained prior to, and 2 and 12 hours after beginning of the treatment and 48 h after the last of 5 s.c. injections with 8 million IU IFN-beta1b given on alternate days for 10 days. The treatment was found to increase the circulating levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-gamma at some of the time points considered, with the effect acquiring statistical significance for IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-gamma. The blood levels of IL-1beta, IL-4 and TNF-alpha remained below the limit of sensitivity of the assays at any of the time points considered. If this in vivo study mirrors the impact of IFN-beta1b on MS patients' immune cells, these data demonstrate an activation of the immune system upon early treatment with the drug that does not lead to either type 1 or type 2 cytokine prevalence.
Nicoletti
F
F
Institute of Microbiology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Di Marco
R
R
Patti
F
F
Zaccone
P
P
L'Episcopo
M R
MR
Reggio
E
E
Xiang
M
M
Nicoletti
A
A
Reggio
A
A
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a