Flow cytometry analysis of T-cell subsets in cerebrospinal fluid of narcolepsy type 1 patients with long-lasting disease

Publication date: Available online 3 January 2018
Source:Sleep Medicine
Author(s): Monica Moresco, Mariangela Lecciso, Darina Ocadlikova, Marco Filardi, Silvia Melzi, Birgitte Rahbek Kornum, Elena Antelmi, Fabio Pizza, Emmanuel Mignot, Antonio Curti, Giuseppe Plazzi
BackgroundType 1 narcolepsy (NT1) is a central hypersomnia linked to the destruction of hypocretin-producing neurons. A great body of genetic and epidemiological data points to likely autoimmune disease aetiology. Recent reports have characterized peripheral blood T-cell subsets in NT1, whereas data regarding the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immune cell composition are lacking. The current study aimed to characterize the T-cell and NK-cell subsets in NT1 patients with long disease course.MethodsImmune cell subsets from CSF and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples were analysed by flow cytometry in two age-balanced and sex-balanced groups of 14 NT1 patients versus 14 healthy controls. The frequency of CSF cell groups was compared with PBMCs. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analyses.ResultsThe NT1 patients did not show significant differences of CSF immune cell subsets compared to controls, despite a trend towards higher CD4⁺ terminally differentiated effector memory T cells. T cells preferentially displayed a memory phenotype in the CSF compared to PBMCs. Furthermore, a reduced frequency of CD4⁺ terminally differentiated effector memory T cells and an increased frequency of natural killer CD56^bright cells was observed in PBMCs from patients compared to controls. Finally, the ratio between CSF and peripheral CD4⁺ terminally differentiated effector memory T cells was two-fold increased in NT1 patients versus controls.ConclusionsSignificant differences in PBMCs and in CSF/PBMC ratios of immune cell profile were found in NT1 patients compared to healthy controls. These differences might have arisen from the different HLA status, or be primary or secondary to hypocretin deficiency. Further functional studies in patients close to disease onset are required to understand NT1 pathophysiology.



from #ORL-AlexandrosSfakianakis via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2CpWE1r