Peripheral blood leukocytes from multiple sclerosis patients are coated with factors inhibiting their chemotaxis in the presence of myelin basic protein

Abstract

In this study myelin basic protein (MBP) was tested for its effect on chemotaxis of human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and neutrophils from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. MBP appeared to inhibit specifically the formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-induced chemotaxis of both the total leukocyte population and neutrophils. In comparison, no inhibition of chemotaxis was observed in healthy donors and patients with other neurological diseases. From MS patients we collected neutrophil supernatants obtained by incubation of the cells in a serum-free medium at 37°C for 60 min and evaluated their effect on chemotaxis of neutrophils from healthy donors. Chemotaxis of healthy donor neutrophils was inhibited specifically in the presence of MBP after treatment with these supernatants, presumably relating to the presence of immune complexes on the surface of neutrophils from MS patients. Those complexes can be eluted into the incubation medium and coat healthy donor neutrophils, thus arming them specifically.