Alterations in cell-mediated immune response in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Abstract

To investigate T cell responses in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), we analyzed proliferation and cytokine secretion of cells from 35 patients and 42 healthy controls (HQ in response to central nervous system (CNS) antigens. The proliferation in response to myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein (MOG) and alpha B-crystallin did not differ between groups. There was a trend towards a decrease in IL-12 production in response to MBP and in vitro IL-12 secretion of SSPE patients to measles virus vaccine (MVV) was lower than controls. Proliferation, as well as IFN-gamma, IL-12 and IL-10 production in response to purified protein derivate (PPD) was impaired in SSPE patients.