Endogenous and recombinant type I interferons and disease activity in multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT: Although treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) with the type I interferon (IFN) IFN-β lowers disease activity, the role of endogenous type I IFN in MS remains controversial. We studied CD4+ T cells and CD4+ T cell subsets, monocytes and dendritic cells by flow cytometry and analysed the relationship with endogenous type I IFN-like activity, the effect of IFN-β therapy, and clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disease activity in MS patients. Endogenous type I IFN activity was associated with decreased expression of the integrin subunit CD49d (VLA-4) on CD4+CD26(high) T cells (Th1 helper cells), and this effect was associated with less MRI disease activity. IFN-β therapy reduced CD49d expression on CD4+CD26(high) T cells, and the percentage of CD4+CD26(high) T cells that were CD49d(

SUBMITTER: Sellebjerg F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3368920 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature