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Decreases in T-Cell Tumor Necrosis Factor Binding With Interferon Beta Treatment in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Paolo Bongioanni, MD, PhD; Serena Mosti, MD; Gianluca Moscato, MD; Francesco Lombardo, MD; Chiara Manildo, MD; Giuseppe Meucci, MD

Arch Neurol. 1999;56:71-78.

Objective  To investigate the effects of interferon beta treatment on T-cell tumor necrosis factor (TNF-) binding (which is a possible marker for T-cell–dependent immune function) in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Design  The TNF- binding on T lymphocytes from patients with stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis was assayed before and 3 and 6 months after the start of treatment with interferon beta.

Setting  The study was performed on ambulatory patients in a tertiary care center.

Patients  Eighteen patients with clinically definite stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (13 women and 5 men; mean [± SD] age, 32.6±7.1 years) were selected consecutively. Clinical status was defined according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale. All patients were treated with 8x10⁶U of interferon beta-1b subcutaneously every other day. Eighteen age- and sex-matched healthy subjects, with no family history of neuropsychiatric disorders, served as controls.

Results  T lymphocytes from untreated patients with multiple sclerosis had significantly more TNF- receptors than those from controls (mean±SE, 837±33 vs 135±5 receptors per cell). After 3 months of treatment with interferon beta-1b, they showed a significant decrease (P<.001) in TNF- binding (452±29 receptors per cell). After 6 months, T-cell TNF- maximal receptor numbers were even lower (345±35 receptors per cell).

Conclusion  Given that increased TNF- binding might be linked to lymphocyte activation, our data demonstrate that a major effect of interferon beta-1b treatment is to decrease T-cell activation.

From the Section of Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, University of Pisa, Pisa (Drs Bongioanni, Mosti, Moscato, Lombardo, and Meucci), and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turin, Turin (Dr Manildo), Italy.

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