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Cytokine profile of myelin basic protein—reactive T cells in multiple sclerosis and healthy individuals
Author(s) -
Hermans Guy,
Stinissen Piet,
Hauben Lysiane,
van den BergLoonen Ella,
Raus Jef,
Zhang Jingwu
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410420106
Subject(s) - myelin basic protein , multiple sclerosis , cytokine , immunology , t cell , tumor necrosis factor alpha , superantigen , interferon gamma , proinflammatory cytokine , biology , myelin , inflammation , immune system , central nervous system , endocrinology
Myelin basic protein (MBP)‐reactive T cells have been implicated in the autoimmune pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we examined the cytokine profile of 531 primary MBP‐reactive T‐cell lines and 72 independently established clones from 32 patients with MS and 18 healthy controls (NS) by using highly sensitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. An increased number of primary T‐cell lines producing interferon‐γ (IFNγ) and/or interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) in response to MBP were found in patients with MS compared with controls. No distinct Th1 or Th2 subtypes could be demonstrated among the MBP‐reactive clones. IL‐4 was more frequently observed among MS‐derived clones. Clones derived from MS patients produced increased levels of IL2, IL4, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNFα), IFNγ, and IL‐10, but not IL‐6. It is interesting that MBP‐reactive T cells from MS patients expressing the disease‐associated HLA‐DRBI 15 allele produced increased quantities of TNFα, a cytokine suggested to play an important role in inflammation and demyelination. When challenged with either MBP or a bacterial superantigen, the clones expressed similar levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IFNγ. Our study suggests a functional difference in T‐cell responses to MBP in patients with MS compared with healthy individuals, and provides further insights into the role of MBP‐reactive T cells and their cytokine profile in the inflammatory processes of MS.