Elispot assay detection of cytokine secretion in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon-beta1a or glatiramer acetate compared with untreated patients.
The mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of interferon-beta1a (IFN-beta1a) and glatiramer acetate (GA) in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) are still uncertain. Altered cytokine patterns have been suggested including inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines like interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and enhancement of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4). Twenty-nine patients with MS (10 untreated, nine treated with IFN-beta1a and 10 with GA) were investigated with elispot of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Spontaneous and myelin induced (myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-14-39 and MOG 63-87) IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 secretion was studied. We found a significant reduction of spontaneous IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-5, but no difference in IL-10 secreting cells in both groups of treated patients compared with the untreated patients. Myelin-specific responses showed a significant decrease of IFN-gamma and an increase of IL-5, but no change in IL-4 and IL-10 secreting cells in treated compared with untreated patients. Both treatment groups revealed similar cytokine secretion patterns except for a more pronounced decrease of both spontaneous and MOG 14-39 induced IL-4 secretion in the IFN-beta1a treated group. Thus, immunological effects of IFN-beta1a and GA were similar showing that disease promoting Th1 (IFN-gamma) cells were reduced while the potentially beneficial Th2 response (IL-4) was maintained.
Clinical Research Centre and Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden.
A
A
Jansson
J
J
Ernerudh
M
M
Kvarnström
C
C
Ekerfelt
M
M
Vrethem
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000378:metabolism; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D015848:Interleukin-5; C571326:MOG protein, human; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010455:Peptides; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a