INTERFERON-BETA-1B INHIBITS REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES PRODUCTION IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONOCYTES OF PATIENTS WITH RELAPSING-REMITTING MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

We studied the rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by mon ocytes 'ex vivo' in a cohort of healthy individuals, in a group of MS patients undergoing treatment with interferon beta-lb and another grou p of MS patients who refused treatment with interferon beta-1b. The ra te of ROS production in healthy individuals was slightly lower than in non-treated MS patients. The lower rate of ROS production was obtaine d in monocytes of MS patients treated with interferon beta-1b. These r esults indicate that the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS patients with interferon beta-lb rendered the NADPH oxidase of the monocytes le ss sensitive to trigger reactive oxygen species (ROS). (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.