The Relationship Between The Relapse Of Neuromyelitis Optica And The Changes Of T Memory Cells Of The Peripheral Blood

Objective1. To approach the relationship between T memory cells and IL-7 of the peripheral blood and the relapse of neuromyelitis optica;2. To indentify the functions of T memory cells in the relapse of neuromyelitis optica.Methods1. To select 32cases of definited NMO patients, and divided into 2 groups:15 cases in relapsed groups and 17 cases in remittent groups; Another set of 15 cases of healthy control groups. All NMO patients underwent EDSS examinations.2. The 2 ml blood samples from three groups anticoagulation with EDTA methods were used to research. 200 ul freash blood of the sample were used to analyse the subsets of lymphocyte in 3 hours, the remaining serum samples were collected after centrifugation by 3000rpm×10 minutes, then stored frozen-20℃.3. Applicate direct immunofluorescence to label the anti-CD4 antibody and anti-CD45RA antibody, then use Flow cytometry to examine the level of memory T cells.4. Applicate Enzyme-linked immnosoborbent assay (ELISA) to test IL-7 concentration.5. Statistical data of the three groups were analysed by SPSS 13.0, The correlative analysis between level of CD4+CD45RA- and IL-7 was take in NMO patients, and the correlative analysis between level of CD4+CD45RA-,IL-7 and the EDSS, the clinical data (including the number of relapses and the age of onset).Results1. Patients in three groups compared general information, the age difference (F=1.895, P>0.05), gender difference (X2=0.408, P>0.05), differences in numbers of relapsing time (F=1.895,P>0.05) were not ststistically significant.2. The relapsing group tend to have higher CD4+CD45RA- level than the remittent group and the healthy group (P<0.001), no significant difference between the remittent group and the healthy group (P>0.05).3. The relapsing group tend to have higher IL-7 level than the remittent group and the healthy group (P<0.001), but there were no significant difference between the remittent group and the healthy group (P>0.05).4. There was significant positive correlation of CD4+CD45RA- with IL-7 level,γ=0.817, P<0.001.5. There was no significant positive correlation of CD4+CD45RA- level of relapsing or remittent group with EDSS, the duration of disease, the number of relapses and the age of onset (P>0.05).6. There was no significant positive correlation of IL-7 level of relapsing or remittent group with EDSS, the number of relapses and the age of onset (P>0.05).Conclusions1. There was detected higher memory T cells after NMO relapse. So wo could come to the conclusion that the relapse of NMO is relational with the memory T cells.2. There was detected higher IL-7 level after NMO relapse. So wo could come to the conclusion that the relapse of NMO is relational with IL-7 level.3. The T memory cells participates the process of the relapse of neuromyelitis optica, and IL-7 promotes the cytopoiesis and functional display of T memory cells.4. Detecting the memory T cells and IL-7 of NMO patients can provide predictve indicators of disease recurrence.5. There is no positive correlation of CD4+CD45RA- and IL-7 level to EDSS, the number of relapses and the age of onset.