NK/T-cell ratios predict disease activity in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). We investigated in 50 RRMS patients whether interleukin-2 receptor alpha-chain (IL-2Rα) expression and shedding associates with NK/T-cell balance, as suggested by daclizumab-trials in RRMS. A subsample (N = 31) was genotyped for IL2RA-associated MS risk SNPs. CD56bright NK-cell/IL-17A+CD4+ T-cell ratios correlated negatively with plasma and PBMC-culture supernatant sIL-2Rα-levels [R = -0.209; p = 0.038 and R = -0.254; p = 0.012, resp.], and with CD4+ T-cell CD25 MFI [R = -0.341; p = 0.001]. Carriers of the rs3118470 risk-allele showed higher sIL-2Rα-levels (P = 0.031) and a lower CD56bright NK-cell/IL-17A+CD4+ T-cell ratio (P = 0.038). Therefore, IL-2Rα may be involved in the interplay between NK-cells and T-cells.

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doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577499, hdl.handle.net/1765/134319
Journal of Neuroimmunology
Department of Immunology

Mimpen, M. (Max), Rolf, L. (Linda), Muris, A.-H. (Anne-Hilde), Gerlach, O. (Oliver), Poelmans, G. (Geert), Hupperts, R. (Raymond), … Damoiseaux, J. (2021). NK/T cell ratios associate with interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain expression and shedding in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 353. doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577499