title: Expansion of CD56Bright natural killer cells in the peripheral blood of multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon-beta.
abstract: We studied how interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) affects subgroups of natural killer cells (NK cells). Following IFN-beta treatment, there was an expansion of CD56(Bright) NK-cells in the peripheral blood of MS patients, while at the same time the proportion of CD56(Dim) cells was diminished. In a control group, the proportion of CD56(Bright) NK-cells was significantly higher in secondary lymphoid tissues compared to the peripheral blood of the same individual. Our findings confirm that CD56(Bright) NK-cells preferably locate within the secondary lymphoid tissues, where they may interact with T cells and thereby contribute to the control of the disease activity in MS.
authors.affiliation: MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saraste
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Irjala
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Airas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019002:CD56 Antigen; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016899:Interferon-beta