concanavalin-a and Meningitis--Aseptic

By means of a microculture technique and calculation of incorporation of 14C-thymidine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocytes from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients showed low or absent proliferation when stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin A, or pokeweed mitogen, in contrast to peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) obtained simultaneously and investigated in parallel. A lower proliferation of CSF lymphocytes compared with PBL was also found in acute aseptic meningitis, although it has been reported that CSF lymphocytes show greater proliferation than PBL when specifically stimulated. The low proliferation of MS CSF lymphocytes on mitogen stimulation may be a consequence of prolonged sensitization to an as yet unidentified antigen. The proliferation of MS CSF lymphocytes was not improved by adding irradiated PBL, making helper cell insufficiency less likely. MS CSF had no inhibitory effect on proliferation of PBL, arguing against an inhibitory effect of soluble factors in the CSF as an explanation for the depressed response of CSF lymphocytes.

Topics: Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Male; Meningitis, Aseptic; Multiple Sclerosis; Phytohemagglutinins; Pokeweed Mitogens

The cell responses to different polyclonal lymphocyte activating substances were studied in 15 patients with aseptic meningitis by analysis of lymphocyte proliferation. The in vitro response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A) and poke weed mitogen (PWM) was investigated in blood and CSF lymphocytes simultaneously. The blood lymphocytes responded stronger than the corresponding number of CSF lymphocytes. These cells were, however, always capable of a response, suggesting that they were immunologically competent. No predominance of either PHA or Con A populations of T lymphocytes could be demonstrated in CSF compared to blood by this technique. When culture conditions were changed from the optimal cell or mitogen concentrations, the decrease in proliferation of the CSF lymphocytes was more pronounced than that of blood lymphocytes.

Topics: Adult; Concanavalin A; DNA; Female; Humans; Lectins; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Meningitis; Meningitis, Aseptic; Middle Aged; Mitogens