[CD40L expression on T CD4+ lymphocytes from peripheral blood in patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis].

UNLABELLED

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. One of the particularly important signals is mediated by CD40L, a costimulatory molecule which appears on activated T cell. The aim of this study was examination of the CD40L expression on freshly obtained lymphocytes T CD4+ which were ex vivo stimulated with monoclonal antibody anti CD3+rIL-2 in patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

12 relapsing-remitting (RR) and 16 secondary progressive (SP) MS patients with long-lasting clinical remission and 24 healthy subjects were included in the study. The proportion of unstimulated and ex vivo stimulated with anti CD3+rIL-2 TCD4+ cells from peripheral blood co-expressing CD40L was studied by dual immunofluorescence method.

RESULTS

The proportion of unstimulated and stimulated T CD4+CD40L+ cells did not differ significantly between RRMS and controls. The percentage of unstimulated TCD4+CD40L+ cells from SP patients exhibited significantly higher proportion - when compared with controls. These cells did not respond to ex vivo stimulation and their level was similar to that of stimulated cells from controls.

CONCLUSION

Dysregulation of costimulation in SPMS expressing as enhanced percentage of TCD4+CD40L+ cells may be responsible for maintenance of chronic activation state of lymphocytes leading to prolonged inflammatory process.