title: Lymphocyte populations in Parkinson's disease and in rat models of parkinsonism.
abstract: To assess the involvement of the immune system in Parkinson's disease we studied the phenotype of circulating lymphocytes in 30 untreated and 34 treated patients. We found a numeric decrease in helper T cells (higher in CD4(+)CD45RA(+) than in CD4(+)CD29(+)) and B cells, and a rise in activated, CD4(+)CD25(+) lymphocytes that was correlated with lymphocyte depletion. All these alterations were independent of levodopa treatment. In addition, we performed striatal dopamine depletion in rats with either MPP(+) or 6-OHDA, showing that MPP(+) but not 6-OHDA can increase CD4(+)CD25(+) lymphocytes. Thus, mechanisms other than dopamine deficit may explain the immune activation in Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Service, Hospital Duran i Reynals, CSU de Bellvitge, Autovia de Castelldefels Km 2.7, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. jbas@csub.scs.es
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calopa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mestre
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Molleví
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cutillas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buendia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016627:Oxidopamine; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D012995:Solubility; D013565:Sympatholytics
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013565:Sympatholytics; D016627:Oxidopamine; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens