title: Changes in Th17 and regulatory T cells after fingolimod initiation to treat multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Fingolimod has demonstrated efficacy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and patients become gradually lymphopenic after a few days of treatment, with selective reductions in CD4+ subsets. We observed an increase in the frequencies of circulating regulatory T cells after fingolimod administration. However, we also found that half of patients had increased proportion of circulating Th17 cells in CD4+ T cells after treatment (including a patient with MS relapses), whereas the others showed lower frequencies of Th17 cells, indicating some variability among patients. Further studies may confirm if slower reduction of circulating Th17 cells following fingolimod initiation predisposes to relapses.
authors: Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Douglas Kazutoshi
authors: DK
authors: Sato
authors: Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. Electronic address: nakashima@med.tohoku.ac.jp.
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Nakashima
authors: Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors: Amit
authors: A
authors: Bar-Or
authors: Department of Multiple Sclerosis Therapeutics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Tatsuro
authors: T
authors: Misu
authors: Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Chihiro
authors: C
authors: Suzuki
authors: Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Shuhei
authors: S
authors: Nishiyama
authors: Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kuroda
authors: Department of Multiple Sclerosis Therapeutics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Fujihara
authors: Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Masashi
authors: M
authors: Aoki
mesh_terms: D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D000068876:Fingolimod Hydrochloride; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D000068876:Fingolimod Hydrochloride; D013110:Sphingosine
keywords: Fingolimod; Interleukin-17; Multiple sclerosis; Regulatory T cells; Th17; Treatment