DECREASED SUPPRESSOR-INDUCER LYMPHOCYTES-T IN MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS AND OTHER NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES

Decreased numbers of CD4+ CD45R+ suppressor-inducer T cells have been reported in patients with a variety of autoimmuen diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis but not in patients with other neurological diseases. We now report our findings using murine monoclonal antibodies and two-color flow cytometric analysis on CD4+ CD45R+ T cells in 22 patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, 23 patients with other neurological diseases and 42 normal, healthy controls. Suppressor-inducer T cells were significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in both patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases as compared to controls. Both patients populations had elevated helper T cell subset ratios. Thus, our data suggests that decreases in suppressor-inducer T cells may represent a common immunological detect among autoimmune and presumably non-autoimmune neurological disorders. © 1990.