Monocyte activation and disease activity in multiple sclerosis. A longitudinal analysis of serum MRP8/14 levels

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology 2004-03, Vol.148 (1), p.172-177
• Main Authors: Floris, Sarah, van der Goes, Annette, Killestein, Joep, Knol, Dirk L., Barkhof, Frederik, Polman, Chris H., Dijkstra, Christine D., de Vries, Helga E., Meilof, Jan F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Blood–brain barrier; Calgranulin A - blood; Calgranulin B - blood; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gadolinium DTPA - metabolism; Humans; Longitudinal; Longitudinal Studies; Macrophage; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Monocytes - metabolism; Monocytes - pathology; MRI; MRP8/14; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - blood; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - pathology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - immunology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - metabolism; Statistics, Nonparametric; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2003.11.005

In active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions macrophages expressing myeloid related protein (MRP) 8/14 are present. The aim of this study was to determine whether serum levels of MRP8/14 complexes are related to disease activity in MS. In a longitudinal study of 16 relapsing remitting (RR) MS patients that underwent monthly gadolinium diethylentriaminepenta acid (Gd-DTPA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the relation between serum MRP8/14 levels and disease activity was investigated. Patients were participating in a monoclonal antibody study targeting a specific T cell population (Vβ5.2/5.3 + T-cells). In time, within patients large variations in serum MRP8/14 levels were observed. Serum MRP8/14 levels were not related to changes in clinical disease activity or increase in Gd-DTPA lesion enhancement. Neither did comparison of active (>1 relapse in follow-up period) with inactive (0–1 relapse) MS patients reveal any differences in MRP8/14 levels. Therefore, we conclude that although MRP8/14 expression is a good histopathological marker for monocyte activation, serum levels of these proteins do not correlate with disease activity in RR MS.