title: Interferon-beta modifies the peripheral blood cell cytokine secretion in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Immunotherapy with Interferon-beta (IFNbeta) results in remarkably beneficial effects in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), although the mechanisms by which it exerts these beneficial effects remain poorly understood. An investigation was made of the effects of IFNbeta on pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood cells in MS patients, both untreated and those undergoing immunotherapy, as well as in healthy controls. Results show a significant increase in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFalpha, IFNgamma and IL-12 in the plasma and in the supernatant of leukocyte cultures from MS patients with the untreated disease; IFNbeta administration significantly reduced the levels of TNFalpha and IFNgamma, with no changes in the level of IL-12. The Interferon-beta therapy also led to a significant increase in the production of IL-10, as well as a slight increase in that of TGFbeta. The reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokine production in the treated MS patient group, accompanied by a simultaneous increase in the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and the reduction of relapse rates suggests that the beneficial effects of IFNbeta immunotherapy result, at least in part, from the modulation of cytokine patterns.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunology-Unit, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mirandola
authors.forename: Dannie E M
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Hallal
authors.forename: Alessandro S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.forename: Elaine C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Carlos O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: Heloisa H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.forename: Benito P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Damasceno
authors.forename: Leonilda M B
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma