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T and B Cell Specific Immune Responses to Purified Protein Derivative in the Cerebrospinal Cavity May be Maintained and Regulated Independently of Systemic Immune Control
Author(s) -
SCHNEIDER E. M.,
ZITZEWITZ F.,
MEIER D.,
ZIMMERMANN C. W.,
DICHGANS J.,
SCHLOTE W.,
WERNET P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1988.tb02377.x
Subject(s) - immune system , cerebrospinal fluid , immunology , derivative (finance) , cell , biology , medicine , neuroscience , biochemistry , economics , financial economics
In vivo activated T cells could be isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a patient suffering from chronic meningitis of unclear origin. Although the patient's skin reactivity to purified protein derivative (PPD) was negative, and peripheral T cells did not proliferate to this antigen in vitro, the majority of T cell clones from CSF specifically recognized PPD on either autologous or allogeneic HLA class II compatible macrophages. Remarkably, peripheral blood mononuclear cells potently suppressed the PPD‐specific proliferate responses of healthy donors. The selective enrichment of oligoclonal IgG in the CSF but not in the patient's serum further indicated T and B cell responses lacking systemic feedback control. Analyses of a persisting immune stimulation in the CSF provide a potent diagnostic tool and may explain neurological complications as observed in a number of autoimmune diseases and chronic infections.