title: T-cell interleukin-6 receptor binding in interferon-beta-1b-treated multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, associated with an altered cytokine network. We previously assayed peripheral blood T-lymphocyte binding for two prototypic cytokines, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and found that T cells from MS patients had significantly more TNF-alpha and IL-6 receptors than those from healthy controls. In the present work, paralleling a previous one on T-cell TNF-alpha binding, we studied the effect of interferon (IFN)-beta-1b treatment on T-lymphocyte IL-6 binding in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. T cells from MS patients had significantly (P < 0.001) higher amounts of IL-6 receptors than those from controls [292 +/- 6 vs. 228 +/- 8 (mean +/- SEM) receptors per cell, respectively], whereas the ligand-receptor affinity values were similar in the two groups [26.2 +/- 0.7 and 25.7 +/- 0.4 (mean +/- SEM) pmoles/l, respectively]. After a 3-month IFN-beta-1b treatment, they showed a significant decrease in IL-6 binding [266 +/- 7 (mean +/- SEM) receptors per cell]. After 6 and 9 months, T-cell IL-6 B(max) values were even lower [258 +/- 8 and 251 +/- 8 (mean +/- SEM) receptors per cell]. Since an increased IL-6 binding might be linked to a lymphocyte activation, our data give further support for an enhanced immune response in patients with MS. Our data seem to demonstrate that the major effects of IFN-beta-1b treatment result in a decrease of T-cell activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Section of Neurology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. bongioanni@sssupl.sssup.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bongioanni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moscato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mosti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012016:Reference Values; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a