Lymphocyte transformation induced in vitro by PHA and PPD in multiple sclerosis.

Altered morphological response of lymphocytes in the presence of antigenic stimulus in vitro may constitute an inter.sting clue to the knowledge of immunological mechanisms in multiple sclerosis (MS). It may serve as a diagnostic test and help in the evaluation of the clinical effect of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents (Hughes, Caspary, and Field, 1968; Saunders, Knowles, and Field (1969); Cendrowski, 1970). Koulischer and Stenuit (1968) found that lymphocytes from MS patients stimulated by phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) in vitro did show reduced transformation during the acute stage of the disease. They thought it resulted from abundant cellular synthesis of G and M immunoglobulinsby activated lymphocytes andlowered abilityto undergo transformation. Jensen(1968) stated that early transformation after three days' culture was less inhibited than five days' incubation with PHA. Unstimulated lymphocyte transformation from MS patients was normal in heterologous serum from healthy donors, but still reduced in autologous serum, according to Knowles, Hughes, Caspary, and Field (1968). The present paper reports an attempt to evaluate the degree of lymphocyte transformation in multiple sclerosis, cultured mainly in autologous serum, when dealing with the antigenic stimulus, and the effect of the stage of the disease and immunosuppressive treatment.