Abstract.
Adhesion molecules (AMs) are believed to regulate the transmigration of blood leukocytes across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is an essential step in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous studies have investigated changes of the soluble forms of AM during interferon-β1b (IFN-β1b) treatment in MS patients. In this study, we analysed the influence of IFN-β1b treatment on the cell surface bound forms of the AMs cICAM-1 and cICAM-3 on blood mononuclear cells (MNC). Sixty-eight patients with relapsing-remitting MS were enrolled in this open study; thirty of them were treated with IFN-β1b. Blood samples were collected every three months over a period of 18 months. The expression levels of cell surface bound forms of AM on blood MNC were measured by two colour flow cytometry analysis. sVCAM-1, sICAM-1 and sICAM-3 were determined by ELISA. We found a short-term induction effect on the serum concentrations of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 after three months of IFN-β1b treatment. The expression levels of cell surface bound AMs on blood MNC remained stable during treatment. Untreated MS patients, however, showed a continuous decrease in the expression of cell surface bound AM expression over 18 months. Stabilisation of the expression of cell surface bound AMs on blood MNC may indicate the beneficial effects of IFN-β1b therapy in MS patients.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kraus, J., Bauer, R., Chatzimanolis, N. et al. Interferon-β1b leads to a short-term increase of soluble but long-term stabilisation of cell surface bound adhesion molecules in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 251, 464–472 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-004-0358-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-004-0358-7