Multiple Sclerosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Multiple Sclerosis, including details on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prognosis.

CSF enrichment of highly differentiated CD8+ T cells in early multiple sclerosis.

Jilek S, Schluep M, Rossetti AO, Guignard L, Le Goff G, Pantaleo G, Du Pasquier RA

Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.

CD8+ T cells may play an important role in multiple sclerosis (MS). Whether these cells would be involved in early stages of MS is unclear. We enrolled 52 patients with suspected MS, determined the recruitment of their highly differentiated (CCR7-/CD45RA+ or -) T cells (T(HD)) in the CSF as compared to peripheral blood and followed them for 12+/-7.3 months. A ROC curve showed that a CD8+/CD4+ T(HD) cells ratio of 0.94 helped to distinguish relapsing-remitting (RR-MS) and possible MS (Po-MS) from primary-progressive MS (PP-MS) and other neurological diseases patients (OND) patients (p=0.039), risk ratio of 2.29 (95% CI: 1.13-4.66; p=0.006). The CSF enrichment in CD8+ T(HD) cells was greater than in CD4+ T(HD) cells in RR/Po-MS patients (p=0.024) and than in CD8+ T(HD) cells in PP-MS/OND patients (p=0.006). These data suggest that CD8+ T(HD) cells play a role in the early stages of RR-MS.

Published 19 March 2007 in Clin Immunol, 123(1): 105-13.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Multiple Sclerosis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.