CD45RA(+) ICAM-3(+) lymphocytes in cerebrospinal fluid and blood as markers of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis

Objectives - Autoreactive T cells targeted against antigens of the myelin s heath are suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of multip le sclerosis (MS). Naive (CD45RA(+))T cells and intercellular adhesion mole cule-3 (ICAM-3) are markers for un-activated lymphocytes. This study was pe rformed to investigate, whether the expression levels of these antigens bot h on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood lymphocytes can be used as activity markers in MS. Materials and methods - Corresponding blood and CSF samples were obtained from 31 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Of the 31 MS patients 23 were suffering from acute relapses at the time of ex amination and all of them were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone (M P). Blood was collected again on the 10th day of therapy and after 3 months . The control group consisted of 12 healthy persons. Two-color flow cytomet ry was performed to evaluate the percentage of both CD45RA(+) and ICAM-3(+) cells within the lymphocyte population. Results - The percentage of CD45RA (+) ICAM-3(+) cells in the CSF of MS patients with relapses was significant ly increased compared to patients in remission (P<0.05). In blood, a signif icantly lower percentage of CD45RA(+) ICAM-3(+) lymphocytes was found in bo th patient groups compared to healthy controls (Relapse: P<0.05, Remission: P<0.10). Additionally, we found a significant increase (P<0.01) in the per centage of CD45RA(+) ICAM-3(+) lymphocytes in blood of MS patients sufferin g from acute relapse on the 10th day of high-dose MP treatment. Conclusion - Our data suggest that the percentage of CD45RA(+) ICAM-3(+) lymphocytes i n CSF can be used as marker of disease activity in MS patients.