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Lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis

Correlation with CSF immunoglobulins and cold-reactive lymphocytotoxic antibodies

Department of Neurology and Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver, Colorado.

Lymphocyte profiles were studied in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and normal controls. Apart from cold-reactive lymphocytotoxic antibodies (LCA), which were elevated in MS patients, there was no difference between MS patients and normal controls in terms of lymphocyte subpopulations, serum immunoglobulins, or responses to mitogens. There was no correlation between LCA and any of the immunologic characteristics measured. However, there was a correlation between immunoglobulin-bearing cells in the peripheral blood of MS patients and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of immunoglobulin and CSF viral antibodies. These results suggest that cold-reactive lymphocytotoxic antibodies do not affect lymphocyte function in patients with MS. that antigens stimulating "local" central nervous system (CNS) antibody production may be located outside the CNS and that locally produced CNS antibody may be made by immunoglobulin-bearing cells that migrate to the CSF from the periphery after exposure to antigen.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Weiner, Neurology Section, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 721 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

Supported in part by National Multiple Sclerosis Society Grant No. KG-812-B-2, National Institute of Health Grant No. NS-10590, and a Fellowship from the Colorado Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Accepted for publication April 6, 1979.