Correlation between sex hormones and magnetic resonance imaging lesions in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if sex hormones play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) by correlating serum estradiol and progesterone levels with gadolinium (Gd) enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in MS. METHODS: Thirty patients with MS were studied with Gd enhanced brain MRI and simultaneous serum estradiol and progesterone levels either during the early follicular, late follicular or luteal phases of their menstrual cycle. Correlation between hormone levels and number of Gd enhancing lesions was determined. RESULTS: Patients with high estradiol and low progesterone levels had a significantly greater number of Gd enhancing lesions than those with low levels of both these hormones. Patients with a high estrogen to progesterone ratio had a significantly greater number of active MRI lesions than those with a low ratio. CONCLUSION: Estradiol and progesterone may influence disease activity in MS. If further studies confirm these results, it may be possible to develop therapy by altering levels of these hormones.

Serum sAPO-1/Fas levels in multiple sclerosis.

UNLABELLED: Soluble APO-1 (sAPO-1) may prevent apoptosis of lymphocytes induced by activation of the APO-1/Fas receptor. OBJECTIVES: To determine sAPO-1 levels in the serum of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and controls in order to investigate if abnormal lymphocyte apoptosis occurs in this disease. METHODS: Serum samples from patients with MS, other neurological diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy controls were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: We did not detect differences in mean serum sAPO-1 levels between patients with multiple sclerosis and controls. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study suggests that resistance of peripheral blood lymphocytes to apoptosis mediated by sAPO-1 is not likely to be a major factor in the development of autoreactive cells in MS.