Analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood in patients with multiple sclerosis and inflammatory diseases of the nervous system

We analysed different subsets of lymphocytes from peripheral blood (PB) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by flow cytometry in order to determinate altera tions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in acute relapse and viral i nflammatory neurological disease (IND), We found increased levels of adhesi on molecules (LFA-1 and beta(1) integrin) in the CSF of patients with MS an d IND compared to NIND. CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio was significantly higher in CSF of MS as compared with all groups analysed and compared with PB. We detect ed a significantly higher expression of the interleukin-2 receptor in PB of MS patients when compared with other groups. In patients with IND a signif icant higher expression of the interleukin-2 receptor was found in the CSF compared with MS and NIND. Our findings indicate that the activation of T l ymphocytes primarily occurs in the peripheral immune compartment in MS and the increase of adhesion molecules in CSF is related to inflammatory disord ers and not only to MS.