Regulation of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in multiple sclerosis by central nervous system hormones.

Using oligodendrocytes from primary brain cultures as targets in an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay, we have examined the effects of insulin and histamine on killer cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disease (OND) controls compared to normal healthy controls. The effects were shown to be specific for effectors by preincubation experiments. MS patients' ADCC to primary oligodendrocytes was depressed, but could be boosted to normal control levels by histamine binding to the H1 receptor. Significant elevation of MS ADCC by cimetidine alone suggested that endogenous histamine production and H2 receptor binding could be mediating a suppressive effect on MS ADCC to oligodendrocytes. In addition, MS ADCC could be boosted significantly by insulin. MS killer cells were more sensitive in vitro to the boosting effects of both histamine and insulin than either OND or normal controls, both in dose response and magnitude of the increased ADCC.

Response to and production of interleukin 2 by peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes of patients with multiple sclerosis.

In an effort to further characterize the defective proliferative response of T lymphocytes to mitogens in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, we examined the response to and production of interleukin 2 (IL 2) by both peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and cerebrospinal fluid mononuclear cells. We also examined the proportion of cells bearing receptors for IL 2 and transferrin. Chronic progressive MS patients have an abnormally low response to exogenous IL 2 as compared to controls. Whereas acute relapse patients' PBL demonstrated a normal IL 2 response during an exacerbation, they showed reduced responsiveness during remission. These abnormalities could not be explained by different dose or kinetic response optima to PHA or IL 2, nor could they be explained by depressed numbers of IL 2 or transferrin receptor-bearing lymphocytes. Production of IL 2 by PBL was also abnormal in MS patients. Chronic progressive patients produced elevated levels of IL 2, whereas acute relapse patients undergoing an exacerbation produced diminished levels of IL 2. During remission, these levels returned to that of controls'. The effect of 1200 rad x-irradiation or nylon wool removal of adherent cells was a significantly greater augmentation of IL 2 production in MS patients than in other neurologic disease or normal controls. Cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes from MS patients had normal proportions of IL 2 receptor-bearing cells, but were deficient in their IL 2 response and production as compared to autochthonous or control PBL. The inability of some MS patients' lymphocytes to clonally expand in response to IL 2 might contribute to the pathogenicity of the disease.

Proliferation of astroglia and oligodendroglia in response to human T cell-derived factors.

Human T lymphocytes transformed by human T cell leukemia-lymphoma viruses or activated by lectins were found to produce stimulating factors that promoted both proliferation and maturation of oligodendroglial and astroglial cells in vitro.