Glatiramer acetate-specific human CD8(+) T cells: increased IL-4 production in multiple sclerosis is reduced by glatiramer acetate treatment.

Glatiramer acetate (GA) is an approved drug for therapy of relapsing remitting MS that acts as a T cell antigen. Here, we report the cloning of HLA restricted, GA-specific human CD8(+) T cells. In addition, we analyzed the cytokine profile of GA-reactive CD8(+) T cell lines. Unexpectedly, IL-4 was increased in untreated MS patients as compared to healthy individuals (p<0.001). In GA-treated patients, however, IL-4 (p<0.001), IL-10 (p<0.001) and TNF-alpha (p<0.001) were decreased. Thus, while GA is known to induce a TH2 bias in CD4(+) T cells, we detected a distinct pattern in GA-reactive CD8(+) T cells.