Characterization of Active T Cells in CSF and Blood in Multiple Sclerosis Patients and Controls

Abstract

In 32 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly lower percentages of active T [thymus-derived] cells, i.e., lymphocytes which were incubated at 37.degree. C for 1 h before 5 min rosetting with sheep erythrocytes, were found in CSF than in blood; the reverse was observed in 20 of 22 patients with other neurological diseases (OND). No significant difference was found between percentages of active T cells in blood in MS, OND and healthy controls. Lymphocytes from MS CSF are extensively temperature-labile when examined under different test conditions; without incubation at 37.degree. C for 1 h, active T cell percentages in CSF of patients with MS and OND were higher than in peripheral blood. The mitogen [phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen] response patterns of enriched active T cells and unseparated lymphocytes from peripheral blood did not discriminate between patients with MS and healthy controls. Although active T cell values correlated with cell-mediated immunocompetence, they have not yet been defined functionally. Lymphocytes themselves in MS patients'' CSF may be at least partly virus-infected.