title: Short communication: impairment of membrane markers on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and imbalance of cytokine secretion in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis active phases.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). In active disease, a transmigration of autoreactive T cells to myelin antigens recruited from the peripheral blood (PBMC) to the CNS occurs, and there these cells prolong their survival and contribute to the perpetuation of the inflammation. In the active local lesions of MS patients, these cells display activation and apoptosis surface markers and secrete a range of cytokines. The aim of this research is to study on PBMCs and in the serum of stable and active MS subjects (1) the behavior of the CD40/CD40L system and the consequent balance of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and (2) the apoptosis marker system CD95/CD95L and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- binding receptors, TNFRI and TNFRII. A possible excess of activation marker expression affecting and driving Th1 cytokine production or a parallel impairment of apoptosis may contribute to MS relapses. Our results may indicate that a dysregulation of early activation and apoptosis receptor systems and a profound and complex imbalance of cytokine production occurred in the peripheral blood of MS patients. This impairment could account for active phases of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Protection, Section of General Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Italy. vsofo@unime.it
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sofo
authors.forename: Francesca Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salmeri
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Bella
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sessa
authors.forename: Giangaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Aleo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trimarchi
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D002465:Cell Movement; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells; D018418:Th2 Cells; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; D019014:fas Receptor