Oligoclonal band number as a marker for prognosis in multiple sclerosis.

The natural course of disease in multiple sclerosis varies. Multiple sclerosis that is clinically apparent but causes minimal disability over time has been labeled benign multiple sclerosis. The ability to predict the subsequent clinical course of multiple sclerosis on the basis of clinical and other supportive data at presentation would be invaluable. In this article we report our findings based on a retrospective analysis of 1800 patients diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, of which 44 patients met our inclusion criteria. There was a suggestion that a low or absent number of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid at the time of diagnosis predicts a better prognosis. However, quantification of oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid remains an insensitive prognostic indicator and must not be used to influence decisions regarding therapeutic options.

Distribution of peptidases in cultured cells from middle ear mucosa: prolyl endopeptidase is localized in fibroblasts and dipeptidyl peptidase IV and II in epithelial cells.

To examine the distribution of prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), and dipeptidyl peptidase II (DPP II) in specific cell types, fibroblasts and epithelial cells were selectively cultured from middle ear mucosal tissues of guinea pigs. In fibroblasts, PEP had the highest activity, 12.28 +/- 4.00 nmole/min/mg protein (mean +/- SD), 45-fold higher than corresponding DPP II levels. In epithelial cells, DPP IV activity was the highest, 6.48 +/- 0.90 nmole/min/mg protein. This communication describes, for the first time, the distribution of the enzyme activities of PEP, DPP IV, and DPP II in fibroblasts and epithelial cells, and the occurrence of PEP in fibroblasts.