Interferon-β1b treatment modulates cytokines in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis

Objectives –  It is unknown whether the immunological effects of β-interferon (IFN-β) differ in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) when compared with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Therefore, we investigated the effects of IFN-β1b treatment in PPMS on proliferation and cytokine pattern of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) serum level. Methods –  Eighteen patients were treated with IFN-β1b for 12 months in an open-label trial. Serum and PBMC were collected longitudinally. Results –  Interleukin-10 serum levels increased (P = 0.02) during treatment. Tumor necrosis factor-α was increased in anti CD3 (OKT3) antibody stimulated PBMC during treatment (P = 0.04), whereas secretion of IL-10 was decreased in OKT3 (P = 0.04), but increased in concavalin A stimulated PBMC (P = 0.02). Conclusions –  Interleukin-10 serum levels rose in IFN-β1b-treated patients as has been observed in RRMS. The changes in cytokine patterns secreted by T-lymphocytes of PPMS patients, however, differ from effects observed in RRMS supporting the hypothesis that PPMS differs in some immunological aspects from RRMS.