T-LYMPHOCYTE IMMUNOINTERFERON RECEPTORS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), associated with an altere d immunoregulation. Interferon (IFN)-gamma, also known as immune IFN, is a cytokine with several effects on the immune system. Specific IFN- gamma receptors have been found on human lymphocytes, as well as on ot her cell types (e.g. gliocytes), even in the CNS. The aim of the prese nt study was to evaluate IFN-gamma binding on peripheral blood T-lymph ocytes from MS patients, compared with those from healthy subjects. Th irty-two patients were selected according to the classical criteria fo r definite MS; as controls, 21 healthy subjects were studied. We have found that T-lymphocytes from MS patients bear a significantly smaller amount of IFN-gamma receptors than those from controls [B-max: 568, 1 8 vs 708, 14 (mean, SE) receptors/cell]. Such TFN-gamma binding sites are of the same type in patients and healthy subjects [K-d: 1.0, 0.05 vs 0.9, 0.02 (mean, SE) nM]. These findings are discussed in terms of immunopathogenesis of MS, since it has been reported that activated T- lymphocytes have decreased amounts of IFN-gamma receptors.