Interferon-alpha significantly reduces cerebrospinal fluid CD4 cell subsets in HAM/TSP.
We, for the first time, analyzed T cell and natural killer (NK) cell subsets in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in nine patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) treated with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). The CD4/CD8 ratio in CSF was significantly lower after the therapy, which is mainly attributable to the significant reduction in CD4+ cells, especially CD25+CD4 and CD45RO+CD4 cell subsets. Meanwhile, NK, natural T and NKT cell subsets in the CSF remained unchanged. There was no CSF lymphocyte subset significantly associated with the clinical efficacy of IFN-alpha in this small-scale study, and more patients should be analyzed to ascertain the link.
Feng
Juan
J
Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryomachi, Aobaku, 980-8574 Sendai, Japan.
Misu
Tatsuro
T
Fujihara
Kazuo
K
Saito
Hiroshi
H
Takahashi
Toshiaki
T
Kohnosu
Takeshi
T
Shiga
Yusei
Y
Takeda
Atsushi
A
Sato
Shigeru
S
Takase
Sadao
S
Itoyama
Yasuto
Y
D000368:Aged; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D016898:Interferon-alpha