SOLUBLE HLA CLASS-I AND CLASS-II ANTIGENS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

Soluble HLA class I (sHLA-I) and soluble HLA class II (sHLA-II) antige n levels during different stages of disease were investigated in paire d serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 37 patients with mu ltiple sclerosis (MS) using ELISA and Western blot analysis. Soluble H LA-II antigens in the serum of untreated patients with the relapsing-r emitting type of MS (RRMS) were found to be significantly elevated in acute relapse as compared to values obtained from patients under stero id treatment, in remission or healthy controls. No significant differe nces in circulating sHLA-I levels could be detected. In contrast, a tr end towards increased intrathecal production of sHLA-I molecules in th e CSF was observed in untreated RRMS patients in acute relapse, wherea s the levels of soluble HLA-II antigens in the CSF were below the dete ction limit of the ELISA method. Our observations underline the presen ce of systemic immune activation in MS patients, as reflected in eleva ted serum sHLA-II antigen levels, and reveal a dichotomy between sHLA class I and II antigen production in the peripheral blood versus CSF i n acute MS. Serial measurements of sHLA-II antigen levels might repres ent a non-invasive method to assess disease activity in MS patients.