Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and the clinical course of multiple sclerosis.

The luminol-dependent chemiluminescence activity before and after the ACTH (Synacthen) treatment was investigated in multiple sclerosis patients and the dependence of the changes of chemiluminescence upon the disease course was evaluated. The tests were performed with granulocytes and monocytes in the presence or in the absence of autologous thrombocytes and, further, the activity of whole blood was tested. All the test were performed both without additional stimuli (spontaneous activity) and with opsonized zymosan. Of the parameters tested, only the spontaneous chemiluminescence activity of whole blood displayed an evidence of dependence on clinical course of the disease. In clinically improved patients a decrease of the whole blood chemiluminescence was found. Similar trend was observed in chemiluminescence of whole blood stimulated by zymosan and in spontaneous granulocyte activity in the presence of autologous thrombocytes. The results show that the whole blood chemiluminescence is decreased in improved patients and suggest that this decrease might be related to the leukocyte-thrombocyte interaction.