Oligoclonal expansion of gamma delta T cells in cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis patients.

Abstract

We have used a PCR based method to analyse TCR gamma chain repertoire and clonality of gamma delta T cells in the CSF and blood of II MS patients. Samples collected from nine patients with other neurological diseases were used as a control. Five controls had central nervous system inflammation and four had non-inflammatory processes. We have observed a decreased percentage of gamma delta T cells expressing TCR gamma with V gamma 9 and J gamma P fragments in the CSF samples in comparison with the blood. We did not final clonal expansion of the gamma delta T cells in any control case. Clonal expansion of gamma delta T cells occurred in five of II MS cases in the CSF but not in the blood. Two of these clones expressed TCR gamma rearranged with V gamma 9 and J gamma 1 fragments, two others used V gamma 10 and J gamma P1, and one used V gamma 9 and J gamma P fragments. We found no correlation between clonality and clinical state of patients, duration of the disease or number of cells in CSF. Our study provides additional evidence for the possible role of the gamma delta T cells in the MS pathogenesis.