Abstract
Introduction
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease characterized by demyelination and chronic
inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS). Many of the immune cells including
T and B cells seem to be involved in disease pathogenesis by inducing or controlling
the immune responses in the nervous system of MS patients. The objective of this study
was to evaluate the differences in subpopulations of T cells between MS patients and
healthy controls and the effects of interferon beta (INF-beta) and glatiramer acetate
(GA) treatment on T cell subpopulations.
Material and methods
We have investigated the frequency of subpopulations of T cells using flow cytometry
in 84 relapsing-remitting MS patients; forty-five patients started treatment with
INF-beta and eighteen patients with GA, twenty-one patients were not treated. We collected
blood samples at the beginning and after 6 and 12 months.
Results
We observed a significant decrease in CD4+CD25+ Treg cells (p=0.03) and a significant increase in T helper cells (p=0.002) and central memory T cells (p=0.03) in MS patients compared to healthy controls. After INF-beta therapy, we demonstrated
a significant increase in naive T cells (p=0.008), a decline in central memory T cells (p=0.01). After GA therapy, we observed a significant increase in naive T cells (p=0.04), a decrease in central memory T cells (p=0.03) and an increase in T-suppressor cells (p=0.008).
Conclusion
In conclusion, we demonstrated the imbalance of T-cell subpopulations in MS patients
and the potential benefit of DMD (disease modifying drugs) treatment on its restoration.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 07, 2012
Accepted:
May 14,
2012
Received in revised form:
May 10,
2012
Received:
January 18,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
