MEASLES ANTIBODY IN SERUM OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS, THEIR CHILDREN, SIBLINGS AND PARENTS

Measles antibody titer was determined by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test in serum from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), their children, siblings and parents and compared to those of controls from families without known cases of MS. The frequency of high concentration of measles antibody in serum (titer ≥ 128), among siblings of MS patients, was lower than among MS patients but higher than among controls. Both among MS families and controls, the frequency of measles titer ≥ 128 decreased with increasing mean age. Women had a higher frequency of measles titer ≥ 128 than men among persons without MS. Wart infection was of equal frequency among MS patients and controls. Controls had more often had contact with domestic animals in childhood than observed in MS patients.     

HLA ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODY RESPONSES TO MEASLES AND RUBELLA VIRUSES IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Twenty-four HLA-antigens coded by loci A and B were determined serologically for 60 multiple sclerosis patients from Northern Finland. Forty-five of the patients were also typed by mixed leucocyte culture reactivity for HLA-Dw2. The only statistically significant difference in antigen frequencies in these patients compared with those in controls was the decrease of HLA-A2 among patients. Measles and rubella antibody titres in patients with and without HLA-Dw2 and HLA-B7 antigens were compared using a sensitive radioimmunoassay method. There was no difference between age- and sex-matched patient groups.     

RESULTS OF ADRENAL AND PITUITARY STIMULATION TESTS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The lower stimulation threshold of the adrenals was determined in 104 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. In another series of patients the effect of insulin induced stress (hypoglycaemia) was surveyed. There was no correlation between the functional state of the adrenals as revealed by the tests and the efficacy of treatment with Cortrosyn. A study comparing the effect of the infusion with physiological doses and the effects of the usually administered therapeutic doses has led to a preference for the first method in the treatment of rapidly progressing cases and for the rapid reduction of functional disturbances linked with organic lesions.     

IMMUNE RESPONSE OF LYMPHOCYTES FROM PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TO PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ, BASIC PROTEIN OF MYELIN AND MEASLES ANTIGENS

The effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), basic protein (BP) and various measles antigens was studied in vitro on “whole blood cultures” from MS patients and controls. Lymphocytes from both MS patients and controls did not transform in vitro in the presence of basic protein and measles antigens. Quantitative studies with a liquid scintillation technique after incorporation of tritiated thymidine showed impaired lymphocyte transformation with PHA in 9 out of 26 MS patients. There was a correlation between duration of the disease and transformation of lymphocytes from MS patients.     

COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF MEASLES VIRUS AND PARAMYXOVIRUS-LIKE TUBULES IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS USING RUTHENIUM RED STAIN

Narang H.K. (1981) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 7, 411–420 Comparative morphology of measles virus and paramyxovirus-like tubules in multiple sclerosis using ruthenium red stain
Morphology of intracytoplasmic nucleocapsid measles virus from mouse brain and tissue culture was studied with the use of ruthenium red by tilting and high resolution electron microscopy and compared with the paramyxovirus-like tubules found in multiple sclerosis (MS). Both in vivo and in vitro the measles nucleo-protein profiles were surrounded by 'fuzzy' material which could be resolved in a pentagon shape and this stained specifically with ruthenium red. The tubules found in MS appeared not to have a 'fuzzy' coat and also did not stain with ruthenium red. The main difference observed between infected tissue culture cells and mouse brain was that in the latter no alignment of measles nucleoprotein was observed under the cell membrane and no budding particles were seen. The virus could not be passed to mice or tissue culture from the infected mouse brain.     

LYSOSOMAL ENZYMES IN THE LYMPHOCYTES AND GRANULOCYTES OF PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The activities of three lysosomal enzymes were measured from the lymphocytes and granulocytes of patients with multiple sclerosis and of controls. The activity of acid phosphatase was increased in the granulocytes and that of β-glucuronidase in the lymphocytes of MS patients in remission, as compared to those in relapse. No marked increases were observed in the activity of acid proteinase. These findings suggest that a number of lysosomal enzymes in both lymphocytes and granulocytes can be activated during demyelinating processes for reasons unknown at the moment.     

THE INVESTIGATION OF Chlamydophila pneumoniae IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Totally 32 cerebrospinal fluid samples from Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were collected. DNA was extracted by High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit. Two genomic segments, outer membrane protein genes ompA and omp9, were targeted for the detection of C. pneumoniae DNA in the samples by PCR tests. To detect ompA, a nested-PCR assay was designed, whereas for omp9, a PCR-Enyzme immunoassay (PCR-EIA) depending on streptavidin-biotin capture and dig detection of the PCR products was performed. C. pneumoniae DNA was not detected by each assays in patient samples.     

THE SYNTHESIS OF PROSTAGLANDINS IN PLATELETS FROM PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

As a continuation of our previous studies on the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) in human thrombocytes, the present study concerns the biosynthesis of PGs in thrombocytes from patients with multiple sclerosis, as this condition has been suggested to be linked to thrombotic and/or thrombocyte abnormalities. It was found that in these patients a statistically decreased synthesis of PGE1, PGE2 and PGF took place compared to the corresponding values in normal subjects. The ratio between PGE1 and PGE2 was, however, unchanged.     

IMMUNOGENETIC STUDIES OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS IN CAITHNESS COUNTY, SCOTLAND

Robertson P., Ward P., Brostoff J., Pack S., Festenstein H., Sacks J., Rosenberg R.A., Peters E., Stenning P. & Zabriskie J.B. (1980) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 6, 299–305
Immunogenetic studies of multiple sclerosis patients in Caithness County, Scotland
The present report indicates that there is an increased frequency of HLA-B7 in multiple sclerosis patients compared to unrelated controls and unaffected siblings. HLA-A3 was not significantly increased. The increased frequency of certain HLA antigens was not reflected in increased titres of serum measles antibodies in this group. In contrast to our previous studies, there were only minimal differences in the cellular response to measles antigen in multiple sclerosis patients as compared to siblings and unrelated controls.     

ENDURANCE TEST AS INDEX OF PARESIS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

This study has been performed to evaluate slight pareses in patients with multiple sclerosis by means of mechanical endurance experiments. The results are compared with manual grading of pareses in patients and with healthy controls. On average, concordance was found between manual and mechanical estimation but the method is not advantageous for clinical purposes.     

LYMPHOCYTE STIMULATION IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS UNTREATED AND TREATED WITH TRANSFER FACTOR

The lymphocytes from controls, untreated MS and MS patients treated with transfer factor were stimulated with PHA, PWM, PPD, LPS and MA and the increased incorporation of myoinositol into phosphatidylinositides was determined. As compared with controls, the untreated MS patients revealed significantly lower index of stimulation with PHA, LPS, PPD and MA. The response of lymphocytes from MS patients treated with transfer factor was intermediate. No correlation between disease progression and stimulation of inositol incorporation was observed. Analysis of variance showed that the myoinositol test is not applicable in long-term studies to distinguished single subjects, however it is useful to determine differences between MS patients and controls.