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Objectives – It is unknown whether the immunological effects of β-interferon (IFN-β) differ in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) when compared with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Therefore, we investigated the effects of IFN-β1b treatment in PPMS on proliferation and cytokine pattern of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) serum level. Methods – Eighteen patients were treated with IFN-β1b for 12 months in an open-label trial. Serum and PBMC were collected longitudinally. Results – Interleukin-10 serum levels increased (P = 0.02) during treatment. Tumor necrosis factor-α was increased in anti CD3 (OKT3) antibody stimulated PBMC during treatment (P = 0.04), whereas secretion of IL-10 was decreased in OKT3 (P = 0.04), but increased in concavalin A stimulated PBMC (P = 0.02). Conclusions – Interleukin-10 serum levels rose in IFN-β1b-treated patients as has been observed in RRMS. The changes in cytokine patterns secreted by T-lymphocytes of PPMS patients, however, differ from effects observed in RRMS supporting the hypothesis that PPMS differs in some immunological aspects from RRMS.

Endothelial activation is a key feature of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. It is modulated by interferon heta-16 (IFNB-lb) treatment in relapsing- remitting MS (RRMS) patients. This particular pharmacodynamic effect still has to be proven in primary progressive MS (PPMS). In the current study, serum concentrations of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and sE-selectin were analyzed longitudinally in 18 PPMS patients before, during and after 12 months of treatment with IFNB-1b. During drug therapy there was a significant early and sustained increase of sVCAM-I (overall P < 0.0001). Flu-like symptoms induced by IFNB-1b and also concomitant infections were associated with higher sVCAM-1 levels. Neutralizing antibodies to IFNB-lb were associated with lower sVCAM-1 levels. In conclusion. IFNB-1b modulates the adhesion cascade in patients with PPMS in a similar way it does in RRMS. Nevertheless, a clinical effect of IFNB in PPMS still has to be proven in a randomized controlled clinical trial.