T-CELL RESPONSES TO THE PARAMYXOVIRUS SIMIAN-VIRUS-5 - STUDIES IN MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS AND NORMAL-POPULATIONS

A recent study suggested that a significant portion of the oligoclonal IgG found in multiple sclerosis (MS) cerebrospinal fluid may be remov ed by absorption with simian virus 5 (SV5), We have now evaluated the proliferative responses to SV5 generated by peripheral blood mononucle ar cells from normal adult subjects and from patients with MS. Positiv e responses were detected in 16 of 16 subjects in each group, The magn itude of the response was not significantly different in the two group s. There was no correlation between the level of response and the pres ence or absence of HLA-DR2, No cross-reactivity with SV5 was demonstra ted by panels of human T cell clones directed against myelin basic pro tein or measles virus. More than 60% of normal individuals between 10 and 16 years of age also generated positive T cell proliferative respo nses to SV5, while fewer than 25% of subjects below the age of 6 gener ated positive responses, Intermediate percentages of positive responde rs were detected in subjects 6-9 years of age. We conclude that the ad ult human population has been widely exposed to this organism and that initial exposure generally occurs in the early to middle school-age y ears.