Role of the immune system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Analysis of the natural killer cells and other circulating lymphocytes in a cohort of ALS patients

BMC Neurology

Research

Francesca Castro¹  Rossella Spataro¹  Vincenzo La Bella²  Serena Meraviglia³  Francesco Dieli³  Marta Di Simone³  Tommaso Piccoli⁴  Giuseppe Salemi⁵ 

[1] ALS Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Neurochemistry, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone” University Teaching Hospital and BiND, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;ALS Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Neurochemistry, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone” University Teaching Hospital and BiND, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;ALS Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnosis, University of Palermo, via Gaetano La Loggia, 1, I-90129, Palermo, Italy;Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone” University Teaching Hospital and BiND, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;Cognitive and Memory Disorders Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone” University Teaching Hospital and BiND, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone” University Teaching Hospital and BiND, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;

关键词: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis;    Circulating blood lymphocytes;    NK lymphocytes;    Disease progression;    Biomarker;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12883-023-03255-x

 received in 2022-12-31, accepted in 2023-05-19,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

AimsNeuroinflammation might be involved in the degeneration and progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here, we studied the role of the circulating lymphocytes in ALS, in particular the NK cells. We focused on the relationship between blood lymphocytes, ALS clinical subtype and disease severity.Subjects and MethodsBlood samples were collected from 92 patients with sporadic ALS, 21 patients with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) and 37 patients affected by primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) with inactive plaques. Blood was taken from ALS and controls at the time of diagnosis/referral. Circulating lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry with specific antibodies. Values were expressed as absolute number (n°/µl) of viable lymphocytes subpopulations in ALS were compared with controls. Multivariable analysis was made using site of onset, gender changes in ALSFRS-R and disease progression rate (calculated as ΔFS score).ResultsAge at onset was 65y (58–71) in ALS (spinal 67.4%; bulbar, 32.6%), 57y (48–78) in PLS and 56y (44–68) PPMS. Absolute blood levels of the lymphocytes in the different cohorts were within normal range. Furthermore, while levels of lymphocytes T and B were not different between disease groups, NK cells were increased in the ALS cohort (ALS = 236 [158–360] vs. Controls = 174[113–240], p < 0.001). In ALS, blood levels of NK cells were not related with the main clinical-demographic variables, including the rate of disease progression. Multivariable analysis suggested that male gender and bulbar onset were independently associated with a risk of high blood NK cells levels.ConclusionsWe show that blood NK cells are selectively increased in ALS, though their level appear unaffected in patients with an estimated rapidly progressing disease. Being of a male gender and with a bulbar onset seems to confer higher susceptibility to have increased NK lymphocytes levels at diagnosis/referral. Our experiments provides a further clear-cut evidence of the role of the NK lymphocytes as a significant player in ALS pathogenesis.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

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