title: Alterations of T cell subsets in ALS: a systemic immune activation?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is evidence that immunological factors may involved in pathogenetic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Few studies to date have explored the status of the systemic immune response in patients with ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to examine whether systemic immune activation is observed in patients with ALS, we measured the number of T cell subsets by flow cytometry in 36 patients with ALS and 35 normal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD8 cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) T cells were significantly increased in our patients with ALS compared with the control group (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively). Treg cells were significantly reduced compared with normal controls (P = 0.01). Treg cells were also negatively correlated with progression of the disease (P = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest a systemic immune activation in patients with ALS. The high production of CD8(+) T and NKT cells may suggest an immunological reaction to some unknown or undetected endogenous proteins or viruses. A probably dual (neurodestructive or neuroprotective) inflammatory function of Treg cells cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, School of Medicine, Athens National University, Greece. mrentzos@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rentzos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sereti
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zouvelou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marmara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alexakis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Evdokimidis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens