Characterization of naïve, memory and effector T cells in progressive multiple sclerosis

- CD4+ and CD8+ CD28+ TEMRA T cells that express CD26 are increased in patients with progressive MS.
- CD4+ and CD8+ CD49+ CM T cells are decreased in patients with progressive MS.
- Natalizumab increased the absolute number but reduced the frequency of cell subsets expressing CD49d and CD26.

We characterized naïve, central memory (CM), effector memory (EM) and terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and their expression of CD49d and CD26 in peripheral blood in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls. CD26+ CD28+ CD4+ TEMRA T cells were increased in all subtypes of MS, and CD26+ CD28+ CD8+ TEMRA T cells were increased in relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive MS. Conversely, in progressive MS, CD49d+ CM T cells were decreased and natalizumab increased the circulating number of all six subsets but reduced the frequency of most subsets expressing CD49d and CD26.

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