Correlation of the chemiluminescence-activity of peripheral blood monocytes with CSF parameters of inflammation and the clinical course of patients with lymphocytic meningoencephalitis

The inhibitory effects of prednisone, 16-methylen-prednisolone, and ACTH on con-A induced lymphokines (interferon-y) as measured by the chemiluminescence-activity of blood monocytes

When lymphocytes are stimulated with mitogens or antigens they are enhanced via a cascade of lymphokines to produce interferon-y (IFN-y). IFN-y augments the H2O2 secretion of human monocytes which indirectly can be measured by chemiluminescence. We tested prednisone, 16-methylen-prednisolone and ACTH for their effect to inhibit the Con-A induced stimulation of the chemiluminescence-activity. All three hormones inhibited significantly the stimulation: prednisone up to 52.5% (concentration = 150 micrograms/ml, p = 0.000005), 16-methylen-prednisolone up to 22.5% (concentration = 2.5 micrograms/ml, p = 0.006) and ACTH up to 33% (concentration = 10 micrograms/ml, p = 0.0036).

Determination of interferon-gamma in the peripheral blood of multiple sclerosis patients in remission, using a chemiluminescence technique

The plasma from eight patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) whose disease was in remission, was investigated by a chemiluminescence technique for its ability to stimulate the oxidative metabolism of peripheral blood monocytes (PBM). The active fraction identified had a molecular weight between 13,700 and 43,000 Da. Its activity was reduced by incubation at pH 2, pH 4 or pH 6, or by treatment at 56 degrees C for 1-3 h. The activity was also decreased, 58-100%, by prior incubation with antibodies to human interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). We suggest that these results indicate that the increased chemiluminescence activity (CL-A) of PBM in MS patients in remission is due mainly to the presence of circulating IFN-gamma.

The spontaneous burst activity of peripheral blood monocytes in patients with acute polyradiculoneuritis, lymphocytic meningoencephalitis, and multiple sclerosis. A comparison

The course of the spontaneous burst activity (BA) of peripheral blood monocytes was examined in patients with acute polyradiculoneuritis (PN), lymphocytic meningoencephalitis (LE), and multiple sclerosis (MS) and the BA was compared with the clinical course. In 4 patients with postinfectious acute PN the BA was significantly increased up to values around 60 000 counts/10 s. The BA and the clinical course were closely correlated in these patients (mean of r = 0.83). In 4 patients with lymphocytic LE the BA initially was moderately increased to values between 4 000 and 5 000 counts/10 s and showed again a very close correlation with the clinical course (mean of r = 0.99). In 13 MS patients the BA values were found markedly increased showing a close correlation with clinical improvement (mean of r = -0.94) whereas in 2 patients without improvement the BA remained at low levels. The comparison of the clinical course with that of the BA in the three inflammatory diseases of the nervous system reveals that patients with PN and LE show high BA values whilst the clinical signs and symptoms are most expressed, whereas the BA is low in this phase of illness in MS patients but increases around the beginning of improvement. Possible meanings of this behaviour of the BA are discussed.