Immunological in vitro parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis and in normal individuals

The general immunological capacity of 40 patients with multiple sclerosis has been evaluated with lymphocyte transformation test including both mitogens (PHA and PWM) and antigens (PPD, Candida albicans, Staph. aureus and E. coli). Determination of T and B cells was performed by E-, EAC-rosetting and immunofluorescence for surface immunoglobulins. Compared with the results obtained in 42 normal individuals only minor differences were found.

Measles virus infection and multiple sclerosis: serological studies

In 159 patients out of 161 with multiple sclerosis (MS), a significant rise in the level of measles hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody was found in the serum and in 92 MS patients the occurrence of measles HI antibody in the CSF was significantly more frequent. MS patients showed CSF humoral response against measles virus by neutralizing test (NV) (76%) more often than by hemagglutination test (37%). CSF FA antibody was found in 60%. In the serum of MS patients the presence of NV, HAd, FA, and GP-RNP was observed. 87% of MS patients showed lowered serum: CSF NV or HI antibody ratios and 78% had a diminished FA antibody ratio. Longitudinal study of serum HI measles virus antibody showed no substantial changes over longer period of the disease. Higher CSF measles antibody titer was found in more disabled patients with a malignant course of the disease (P less than 0.001). It is concluded that either persistent infection with proviruses or nonspecific stimulation of certain clones in individuals with genetic susceptibility provides for an excessive synthesis of humoral viral antibodies in MS.

Transfer factor treatment of patients with multuple sclerosis. I. Preliminary report of changes in immunological parameters

In five patients with definite multiple sclerosis and lack of cell-mediated immunity to measles and parainfluenza virus antigens, various immunological parameters were studied before and during transfer factor treatment. The study showed that cell-mediated immunity to measles virus antigen, as evaluated by the leukocyte migration agarose test, could temporarily be restored, using repeated injections of transfer factor pooled from unselected, normal blood donors.