Multiple sclerosis: effect of myelin basic protein on interleukin 1, interleukin 2 production and interleukin 2 receptor expression in vitro.

The production of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with human myelin basic protein (MBP) was assessed in vitro in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in relapse, patients with other neurological diseases (OND) and healthy subjects. Myelin basic protein significantly increased both IL-1 and IL-2 production by PBMC from MS patients during relapse when compared to OND patients or healthy controls. The most efficient concentration of MBP for the induction of IL-1 and IL-2 was 50 micrograms/ml. The optimal IL-1 production occurred after 48 h of PBMC culture and optimal IL-2 production after 72 h of PBMC culture. Anti-Tac monoclonal antibody (MoAb) was used to study IL-2 receptor expression on the same sample of PBM used for IL-2 study in MS patients in relapse. In addition IL-2 receptor expression was studied in PBMC from chronic progressive MS patients. In both MS groups IL-2 receptor expression on PBMC stimulated with MBP appeared higher than in control groups, but these differences were not statistically significant. IL-2 receptor expression on cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes (CSF-L) either unstimulated or MBP-stimulated was, however, significantly higher in both MS groups when compared to OND patients. These results confirm the presence of activated lymphocytes in the CSF of MS patients during active stages of disease and suggest that this activation may be related to expansion of MBP specific cells.