Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other neurological diseases and from healthy individuals were separated by density gradient sedimentation into several subfractions. Individual cell populations were cultured in the presence of several human brain tissue antigens. In comparison to controls, mononuclear cells with a density of less than 1.077 gm/cm3 from MS patients displayed a significantly increased sensitivity after incubation with purified human myelin basic protein (MBP) but not with other brain tissue antigens. In particular, the lymphocytes of patients suffering from MS for more than four years reacted positively with MBP, suggesting that the reaction dependent. No difference between MS patients and controls in sensitivity to any brain tissue antigen could be detected with cells of lower density (i.e., 1.073 to 1.069 gm/cm3 or less than 1.069 gm/cm3). Comparable lymphocyte activity was found to antigens isolated from both MS and control brain tissue. These results suggest that patients with chromic progressive MS have a secondary immune activity to MBP.
The isolation of the lens proteins from the fetal circulation early in embryonic life, the lack of innervation, and the complete avascularity of the adult lens might suggest that the lens proteins initiate an autologous sensitisation after entering the aqueous humour. However, it has only recently been possible to detect antibodies to homologous lens proteins in small amounts in rabbits . Earlier attempts to stimulate antilens antibody formation were successful only by sensitisation with homologous lens proteins in combination with an adjuvant (Halbert et al., 1965). The presence of an adjuvant still seems necessary for the immune response to autologous lens antigens .Phacogenic uveitis or lens-induced uveitis, which is characterised by a sterile iridocyclitis, is thought to be the result of autosensitisation to lens proteins. Clinically this inflammation may develop within 2 days after perforation of the lens capsule (Schlaegel, 1975)
The lymphocytes in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) were characterized with monoclonal antibodies to surface antigens of T cells, helper/inducer T cells and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells. The influence of cyclophosphamide treatment on these immune parameters was investigated. Compared to healthy persons, the mononuclear cell fraction of the peripheral blood of patients with chronic progressive MS consisted of normal %s of T cells and helper/inducer T cells, but decreased %s of suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Intensive as well as chronic treatment of MS patients with cyclophosphamide resulted in a decline in the %s of T cells and helper/inducer T cells, whereas the %s of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells returned to normal. In cerebrospinal fluid, cyclophosphamide also induced a relative decrease in the % of helper/inducer T cells and an increase in the % of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells compared to untreated MS patients. Intensive as well as chronic therapy with cyclophosphamide both led to a significant decrease in the absolute number of T cells and T cell subsets in the blood of the patients.
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