Thymic output and peripheral T lymphocyte subsets in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated or not by IFN-β

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology Vol. 193; no. 1; pp. 188 - 194
• Main Authors: Puissant-Lubrano, Bénédicte, Viala, Frédérique, Winterton, Peter, Abbal, Michel, Clanet, Michel, Blancher, Antoine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-01-2008
• Subjects: Adult; Allergy and Immunology; CD45RC; Female; Humans; IFN-β treatment; Interferon-beta - therapeutic use; Leukocyte Common Antigens - analysis; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - drug therapy; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - immunology; Neurology; Protein Isoforms; Regulatory T cells; T cell subsets; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Thymic function; Thymus Gland - immunology; CD45RC; Multiple sclerosis; Regulatory T cells; T cell subsets; Thymic function; IFN-β treatment
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2007.10.027

Abstract We explored the parameters of central and peripheral tolerance in patients with stable relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, treated or not with IFN-β. TREC-positive T cells were lower in patients compared with controls, mainly in CD4+ subset, compatible with a thymus dysfunction or an expansion of peripheral lymphocytes. Compared to controls, the frequency of activated CD4+CD25+ T cells was higher in patients without modification of the CD4+CD25high T cell proportion. The IFN-β-treatment did not modify the TREC-positive cell frequency nor the naive/memory T cell subset percentage but was associated with lower blood lymphocyte count and a lower frequency of CD4+CD45RChigh subset.