title: Immune depression syndrome following human spinal cord injury (SCI): a pilot study.
abstract: Experimental spinal cord injury (SCI) has been identified to trigger a systemic, neurogenic immune depression syndrome. Here, we have analyzed fluctuations of immune cell populations following human SCI by FACS analysis. In humans, a rapid and drastic decrease of CD14+ monocytes (<50% of control level), CD3+ T-lymphocytes (<20%, P<0.0001) and CD19+ B-lymphocytes (<30%, P=0.0009) and MHC class II (HLA-DR)+ cells (<30%, P<0.0001) is evident within 24 h after spinal cord injury reaching minimum levels within the first week. CD15+ granulocytes were the only leukocyte subpopulation not decreasing after SCI. A contributing, worsening effect of high dose methylprednisolone cannot be excluded with this pilot study. We demonstrate that spinal cord injury is associated with an early onset of immune suppression and secondary immune deficiency syndrome (SCI-IDS). Identification of patients suffering spinal cord injury as immune compromised is a clinically relevant, yet widely underappreciated finding.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Research, Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riegger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schluesener
authors.forename: H-P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kaps
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstein
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdizahdeh
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schwab
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone