The significance of the inflammatory reactions for the development of clinical signs in multiple sclerosis and acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis as assessed by means of the spontaneous chemiluminescence activity of peripheral blood monocytes.

We found that the course of the chemiluminescence activity (CL-A) of peripheral blood monocytes of Lewis rats with acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) correlates well with the clinical course of this autoimmune disease and that only a reduction in T helper cells caused a reduction in CL-A. However, in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients the CL-A increased when clinical improvement started. The serum of these patients contained at least two stimulatory substances. More than 50% of the stimulatory effect could be blocked by antibodies to interferon-gamma.