title: IFNbeta-1a therapy for multiple sclerosis expands regulatory CD8+ T cells and decreases memory CD8+ subset: a longitudinal 1-year study.
abstract: The beneficial effects of interferon beta-1a (IFNbeta-1a) in multiple sclerosis (MS) remain only partially understood. CD8(+) T cells are key cells in MS pathogenesis that contribute to axonal damage in MS, whereas CD4(+) regulatory T cells (T(Reg)) and CD8(+) regulatory/suppressor T cells (Ts) play an important role in protecting against subsequent MS activity. We analysed ex vivo changes on T(Reg) and on the different subsets of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes, before IFNbeta-1a (Rebif) therapy and at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, in 23 MS patients and in 26 healthy controls. IFNbeta-1a significantly increased the proportions of CD4(+) T(Reg) and regulatory CD8(+) T cells (Tr). Memory CD8(+) T cells were significantly decreased after 1 year of treatment, maybe reflecting down-regulation of abnormally persistent systemic activation in MS patients. After 1 year of IFNbeta-1a, a direct correlation was observed between plasmacytoid dendritic cells and effector CD8(+) T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Gregorio Marañón University General Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aristimuño
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Andrés
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartolomé
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de las Heras
authors.forename: Ma Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Martínez-Ginés
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández-Cruz
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Ramón
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a