Interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha: model of immunomodulation in multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CD4+ CD7+ T cells and peripheral blood (PB) interleukin-10 (IL-10) as well as tumor necrosis-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in patients with definite multiple sclerosis of the relapsing-remitting type.


METHODS
To assess the above-mentioned cytokine levels we performed our test by the means of ELI-spot assay; the T-helper cell subset was assayed using flow cytometry.


RESULTS
PB IL-10 levels of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in remission were significantly (p<0.001) higher than in MS patients in the active phase. There was significant and increased evidence of TNF-alpha levels only in the MS patients in the active phase. CD4+ CD7+ T cells, characterized by a preferential Th1-like cytokine profile, were detectable only in seven patients in the active phase without evidence of a statistical significance with respect to cytokine levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that the production of different cytokines characterized the expression of relapsing-remitting MS. The data also suggest that is it possible to control MS using the regulatory cytokine balance.
Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, D. Cotugno Hospital, Naples, Italy. alex.perrel@virgilio.it
Oreste
O
Perrella
Costanza
C
Sbreglia
Marco
M
Perrella
Giuliano
G
Spetrini
Fernanda
F
Gorga
Marianna
M
Pezzella
Alessandro
A
Perrella
Luigi
L
Atripaldi
Pietro
P
Carrieri
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019011:Antigens, CD7 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*
D019011:Antigens, CD7; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10