Comparison of the effects of oral versus intravenous methylprednisolone regimens on peripheral blood T lymphocyte adhesion molecule expression, T cell subsets distribution and TNF alpha concentrations in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

We investigated in multiple sclerosis the difference between two commonly used oral and intravenous steroid regimens on the level of adhesion molecule expression on blood T lymphocytes, the distribution of circulating T cell subsets, and the concentration of serum tumour necrosis factor alpha. Venous blood samples were collected from a cohort of 22 patients with acute relapses who were participating in a randomised trial comparing intravenous methylprednisolone 1000 mg daily for 3 days with oral methylprednisolone 48 mg daily for one week, 24 mg daily for one week, and finally 12 mg daily for one week. There was a similar significant reduction of T cell LFA-1 surface expression and serum TNF alpha concentrations after 4 days of treatment with each regimen. There was no change in other lymphocyte adhesion molecules expression (ICAM-1, LFA-3 or CD2) at day 4, although LFA-3 and CD2 expression was moderately decreased at day 28 and day 90 respectively; nor was there any change in the distribution of lymphocyte subsets (CD4, CD8, and CD45RA, CD45RO), although a small decrease in CD45RO circulatory T cells was noted at day 28. This study suggests that some of the beneficial effects of glucocorticosteroids may be related to the inhibition of lymphocyte adhesion as well as the modulation of proinflammatory cytokines.