Montserrat Tortosa Moreno

Circulating levels of soluble apoptosis-related molecules in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Evidence exists that apoptotic elimination of autoreactive T lymphocytes is defective in multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we measured serum levels of soluble forms of Fas (sFas), Fas ligand (sFasL) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (sTRAIL) in 38 healthy controls (HC) and 92 untreated MS patients with different clinical forms and activity phases of the disease by immunoassay. Serum levels of sFas, sFasL and sTRAIL did not differ between MS patients and HC. sTRAIL levels were significantly decreased in RRMS during relapses. These findings support a role of TRAIL in the pathogenesis of MS, especially during the acute phases of the disease.

Activation-induced cell death in T lymphocytes from multiple sclerosis patients

Apoptosis is a major mechanism regulating immune tolerance by the elimination of autoreactive T lymphocytes. A failure of activation induced cell-death (AICD) has been described in T lymphocytes from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aims of this study were to evaluate AICD in T lymphocytes from patients with MS and healthy controls, and to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the deregulation observed in apoptosis induction. PHA-induced AICD was reduced in T lymphocytes from patients with relapsing-remitting MS compared with controls. This finding was associated with a diminished expression of Fas and a failure in caspase 3 activation.