title: Thymic output and peripheral T lymphocyte subsets in relapsing--remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated or not by IFN-beta.
abstract: We explored the parameters of central and peripheral tolerance in patients with stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, treated or not with IFN-beta. TREC-positive T cells were lower in patients compared with controls, mainly in CD4+ subset, compatible with a thymus dysfunction or an expansion of peripheral lymphocytes. Compared to controls, the frequency of activated CD4+CD25+ T cells was higher in patients without modification of the CD4+CD25(high) T cell proportion. The IFN-beta-treatment did not modify the TREC-positive cell frequency nor the naive/memory T cell subset percentage but was associated with lower blood lymphocyte count and a lower frequency of CD4+CD45RC(high) subset.
authors: Laboratoire d'Immunogénétique Moléculaire, Université Paul Sabatier, Faculté de médecine Toulouse-Rangueil, Bâtiment A2, 133 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex 4, France.
authors: Bénédicte
authors: B
authors: Puissant-Lubrano
authors: Frédérique
authors: F
authors: Viala
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Winterton
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Abbal
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Clanet
authors: Antoine
authors: A
authors: Blancher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D016899:Interferon-beta; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens