Amantadine in Parkinson's disease: lymphocyte subsets and IL-2 secreting Tcell precursor frequencies

The antiviral drug amantadine, that is effective in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), may affect the composition and function of peripheral blood l ymphocytes. In an explorative study, we therefore compared lymphocyte subpo pulations and IL-2 secreting T cell precursors frequencies (HTLp-frequencie s) in 15 PD patients without amantadine and six patients on long-term treat ment. Five patients were investigated before and three months after the sta rt of treatment. Group comparisons for long-term amantadine treatment showe d no differences in subpopulations of B-, T-, and NK cells, and HTLp-freque ncies. However, three months after initiation of treatment we noted in all five patients an increase of CD3+CD4+ and decrease of CD3+CD8+ cells, assoc iated with an increase of the CD3+CD4+/CD3+CD8+ ratio. These changes had no effect on the HTLp-frequencies. Thus, at least for a short period of time, amantadine improves the T cell mediated immune system in PD patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.