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A numerical reduction of total T cells has been evidenced in peripheral blood of patients with active multiple sclerosis. A contemporary raise in T helper/inducer cells was demonstrated in patients' cerebrospinal fluid. A significant reduction in T suppressor/cytotoxic cells could be detected only in patients' cerebrospinal fluid, while this subpopulation resulted to be less affected in patients' circulation. These data differed significantly from controls' values. We conclude that a redistribution of some T cell subpopulation between peripheral blood and central nervous system could account for the immunological derangements observed in active multiple sclerosis.

The Authors describe zymographic characteristics of non specific esterases in human and rat brain and in tumors of the nervous system. Bound and soluble esterases were evidenced using substrate and inhibitor systems in association with detergent extraction. In normal nervous tissues the results confirmed previous observations on the identity of the gray and white matter esterases, except for minor quantitative differences. In brain tumors some peculiar pattern was particularly useful for biological interpretation of tissue differentiation and cell metabolism. The Authors show that the use of Triton X-100 extraction associated with suitable effectors allows a more correct classification of non specific esterases.

We conducted a double-blind trial of high-dose parenteral 6-methylprednisolone (MP) and placebo on 23 patients with acute MS. After the double-blind trial, the patients were given corticosteroids in gradually decreasing doses. The frequency of improvement was significantly higher and the bout duration significantly lower in the MP group than in the placebo group. The first signs of improvement (3 to 6 days after starting MP) were associated with a marked decrease in the rate of CNS IgG synthesis, but IgG CSF oligoclonal bands did not change. CNS IgG production slowly returned toward baseline despite progressive clinical improvement.