Cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in multiple sclerosis. Evaluation by means of monoclonal antibodies (a preliminary note)

We are investigating peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid lymphocyte subpopulations in multiple sclerosis patients by monoclonal antibodies directed at T-helper, T-suppressor and total mature T-cell subsets. Patients affected by other neurological diseases are also being studied as a control population. Antibodies' selectivity together with careful cell handling, allowed us a detailed study even of small lymphocyte numbers usually recovered from multiple sclerosis cerebrospinal fluid. First results point to a marked increase in T-helper population, with a helper/suppressor imbalance in MS patients' cerebrospinal fluid, but not in peripheral blood. No difference could be detected between cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in control patients. Further work is now needed to achieve more complete and significative results.