Resistance to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in PLP peptide-specific T cell clones from patients with progressive MS

Abstract Glucocorticoids (GC) are commonly used to treat inflammatory disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and may exert their immunosuppressive activity by inducing apoptosis in activated lymphocytes. However, unlike relapsing–remitting MS patients, those with progressive disease respond poorly to GC treatment. The data in this communication indicate that PLP peptide-specific T cell clones from progressive, but not relapsing–remitting MS patients are resistant to GC-induced apoptosis in vitro, in a fashion associated with expression of B-7 co-stimulatory molecules. Thus, failure to respond to GC treatment may reflect defect in apoptosis that develop during the progressive stages of chronic inflammatory disease.