IL17 and IFNγ production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from clinically isolated syndrome to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

We evaluated the spontaneous IL17, IFNγ and IL10 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients affected by clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) both in acute phase and in remission, relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) both in relapse and in remission, not-relapsing secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and controls. We observed higher IL17 levels in CIS patients both in acute phase and in remission than in SPMS patients and controls. On the contrary no difference in IL17 production was observed among RRMS patients and CIS, SPMS patients and controls. IFNγ levels were significantly higher in CIS patients in acute phase than in CIS and RRMS patients in remission, SPMS patients and controls. Moreover, we observed higher IFNγ spontaneous production in relapsing RRMS patients than in remitting RRMS and SPMS patients and controls. IL10 levels were significantly higher in remitting CIS and in relapsing RRMS patients than in SPMS patients and controls. There was no difference in IFNγ, IL10 and IL17 levels between SPMS patients and controls. Our data suggest that IL17 might play a crucial role mainly in the early phase of MS, while IFNγ seems to be involved both in the early phase and in the following relapses of the disease.