IDENTIFICATION OF 3 FCR-POSITIVE T-CELL SUBSETS T-GAMMA, T-MU AND T-GAMMA-MU IN THE CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (2) , 345-354
Abstract
Proportions of T cells and T cell subsets, as identified by their Fc receptors (FcR) for IgM and IgG (T.mu. and T.gamma.), were determined in the peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) and CSF lymphocyte populations in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). On average, MS patients had 79% total T cells (62% of which were T.gamma., 66% T.mu.) in CSF lymphocytes compared to 66% total T cells (30% T.gamma., 63% T.mu.) in PBL. Normal age- and sex-matched controls PBL had 74% total T cells (20% T.gamma., 54% T.mu.). By direct observations using an indirect immunofluorescence assay, 41% of the CSFT.gamma. cells in MS patients bore receptors for IgM; these cells were designated T.gamma..mu. and, according to the double-marker analysis, did not seem to correlate with disease stage. In MS PBL, 20% of T.gamma. cells were T.gamma..mu. compared to 9% in the control PBL T.gamma. population. MS patients had a higher proportion of total T cells, T.gamma. cells and T.gamma..mu. cells in their CSF than in their peripheral blood, and than those populations found in normal control blood. The significance of this T.gamma..mu. population for the continuing disease state in MS is discussed.