Measurement Of Antibodies To Chlamydia Pneumonia And Human Herpes Virus (Type 6) In Paired Serum And Cerebrospinal Fluid Of Patients With Multiple Sclerosis And Study Of Pathogenesis

Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a very common inflamed demyelinating disease of white matter in the human central nervous system (CNS), and is a typical representation of autoimmune diseases. Although the etiology of MS is not known, there is considerable evidence to suggest that host immune considerable evidence to suggest that host immune response genes and an environmental trigger (such as a pathogen) have a role in the disease process. More and more researchs are focusing on Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) and Human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) since they are considerated as possible triggers of autoimmune response. Our research was designed to investigate the relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection or HHV-6 infection and MS, and to explore the pathogenetic mechanism of the two pathogens. Methods: We studied 59 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, among which 31 patients was suffering from acute relapse, and 28 patients from remitting period. We also studied 30 patients with other neurologic diseases and 30 healthy individuals. Antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae and HHV-6 in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid were measured with enzume-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with acute relapsing MS and other neurologic diseases, and antibodies only in serum were detected in patients with remitting MS and healthy individuals. Results: All the 59 MS patients, 30 other nerologic diseases patients and 30 healthy individual were measured Chlamydia pneumoniae and HHV-6 antibodies, including immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). The Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG positivities of 31 relapsing MS patients, 28 remitting MS patients, 30 other neurologic diseases patients and 30 healthy individuals in serum are 48.4%, 35.7%, 30.0% and 23.3% respectively, and the compare of the 4 figures has no statistical difference (P>0.05). The Chlamydia pneumoniae IgM positivities of 4 groups are 12.9%, 14.3%, 20.0% and 10.0% respectively, and the compare of the 4 figures has no statistical difference (P>0.05) too. As the serum antibodies, the compare between relapsing MS patients and other neurologic diseases patients in CSF has no statistical difference (P>0.05). There is no significant difference among the concentration of the four groups. However, the compare of HHV-6 serum IgM, has obviously statistical difference (P<0.01). The HHV-6 IgM positivities of 4 groups in serum are 45.2%, 25.0%, 20.0% and 3.3% respectively, The IgM positivities of relapsing MS patients are higher than other neurologic diseases patients and healthyindividuals (P<0.05, P<0.01), but the compares of serum IgM positivities between relapsing MS patients and remitting MS patients have no statistical difference (P > 0.05). The concentration of serum HHV-6 IgM among the 4 groups have statistical difference (P<0.01). Although there is no obviously different between relapsing MS patients and remitting MS patients in HHV-6 serum and CSF IgM positivities, the differences between them in the concentration of serum and CSF IgM have statistical meaning (P<0.05). Moreover, the concentration of HHV-6 serum and CSF IgG of relapsing MS patients has positive correlation, and the same is the concentration of IgM. Conclusion: Infection or reinfection with Chlamydia pneumoniae is less association with MS, and Chlamydia pneumonia may be a bystander pathogen. HHV-6 infection and reinfection may contribute to the pathogenesis of MS, and become a causal trigger through affecting the immune response.