title: Abnormal response to glutamate of T lymphocytes from multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediate, inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Since glutamate (Glu) is a modulator of T lymphocyte function and Glu excitotoxicity has been proposed as one of the mechanisms of the demyelination, we studied the responses of T lymphocytes from normal controls (NC), MS or other non-inflammatory neurological disease (ONND) patients to Glu, by measuring phytohemagglutinin-induced intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) rise (Fura-2 method) and cell proliferation (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay). No differences in the Glu (1 microM)-induced potentiation of the [Ca(2+)](i) rise were measured in T lymphocytes from all groups of subjects, while a significant decrease in the Glu (1 mM)-induced inhibition of cell proliferation was observed in T lymphocytes from MS patients. These data demonstrate that MS T lymphocytes abnormally respond to Glu.
authors.affiliation: DISCAFF Department, University of Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio, 6, 28100 Novara, Italy. lombardi@pharm.unipmn.it
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miglio
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Canonico
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naldi
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monaco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid