Changes in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells-Novel Evidence for an Immunomodulatory Aspect in Bell’s Palsy?

Kassner Kassner

doi:10.4021/jnr108w

Abstract

Background : Patients with Bell’s Palsy (BP): a very common neuropathy of the facial nerve-showed significant decreases of T- and B-lymphocytes in earlier studies. Besides a viral infection an autoimmune process leading to this disease has been discussed. Methods : 15 patients with BP and 15 healthy, age-matched individuals were included in this study. In addition to routine blood parameters peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll density gradient. Afterwards, in CD14 + (monocytes), CD68 + (macrophages), CD3 + (T-lymphocytes) or CD19 + (B-lymphocytes) the percentage of cells, expressing pro-inflammatory (CD40, TNF- α , and COX-2), pro-apoptotic (Caspase-3, PARP), pro-adhesive (CD38) and oxidative stress-related (MnSOD) proteins were measured by two-color fluorescence-activated cell sorter analyses. Results: In comparison to healthy individuals, patients with BP revealed significantly elevated plasma levels of C-reactive protein and total leukocyte count, while levels of T- and B-lymphocytes were significantly decreased. In BP patients all subpopulations under test showed a significant increase in percentage of CD38 + as well as of pro-inflammatory (CD40 + , TNF- α + ) cells; additionally monocytes showed a significant increase in percentage of MnSOD positive cells. Conclusions: Our data shows new evidence for an involvement of the immune system in BP. Therefore, we suggest that future investigations of PBMCs in BP patients represent a very promising approach to further elucidate possible pathomechanisms. J Neurol Res. 2012;2(3):82-87 doi: https://doi.org/10.4021/jnr108w

Highlights

Bell’s Palsy (BP) is a very common neuropathy of the facial nerve
We suggest that future investigations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in BP patients represent a very promising approach to further elucidate possible pathomechanisms
Differential blood count analysis including leukocyte subpopulations showed significant decreases of percentages of lymphocytes and eosinophils in BP patients in comparison to healthy subjects there was a significant increase in percentage of neutrophils (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Bell’s Palsy (BP) is a very common neuropathy of the facial nerve. The processes leading to the disease remain unclear [1]. A decreased level of antibody producing CD19+ B-lymphocytes has been discussed to cause an insufficient clearance of neurotropic viruses or virus particles possibly responsible for disease induction and/or progression [8]. In this context, different neurotropic viruses e.g. herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have been proposed to be a possible disease inductor, due to the fact that HSV-1 DNA could be detected in endoneural fluid and saliva from BP patients [9, 10]. Patients with Bell’s Palsy (BP): a very common neuropathy of the facial nerve-showed significant decreases of T- and B-lymphocytes in earlier studies. Besides a viral infection an autoimmune process leading to this disease has been discussed

Methods

Results

Conclusion