Immunophenotypic patterns of T-cell activation in neuroinflammatory diseases.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to gain insights into the pathogen-specific differences in early adaptive immune responses following central nervous system infections with Borrelia burgdorferi and viral pathogens by studying the immunophenotypic patterns of T-cell activation. Moreover, we wished to determine whether the expression of T-cell activation markers reflects disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
Proportions of cerebrospinal fluid T-cells expressing the markers HLA-DR, CD25 and CD38 were determined in patients with MS (n = 40), acute viral meningomyeloradiculoneuritis (VID, n = 26), early neuroborreliosis (NB, n = 23) and non-inflammatory neurologic diseases (n = 51) by using flow cytometry. In relapsing-remitting MS, disease activity was assessed by clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging.


RESULTS
For each of the surface markers that were examined, significant differences in T cell proportions were found between patient groups. The proportion of HLA-DR+ T cells was higher and that of CD25+ T cells lower in NB compared with VID. These differences were attributable only to the early phase of the disease (< or = 6 days after symptom onset). Among MS patients, there was a trend for higher proportions of T cells expressing activation markers in patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
The decreased CD25 expression in NB may reflect immunomodulatory effects of B. burgdorferi facilitating persistent infection. Larger prospective studies of T-cell activation markers for ascertaining the association between cellular markers and clinical surrogates of disease activity in MS are warranted.
Department of Neurology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. alexander.heinrich@bkh-guenzburg.de
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Heinrich
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Ahrens
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Schmidt
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Khaw
D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000328:Adult; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020805:Central Nervous System Viral Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D020852:Lyme Neuroborreliosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1