Interferon production by lymphocytes from multiple sclerosis and non-MS patients.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from MS patients and non-MS patients were induced to produce interferon by incubation with canine distemper, mumps, Sendai, herpes simplex I, and two strains of measles viruses. Lymphocytes from MS patients produced as much pH 2 stable interferon as did those from non-MS patients in response to induction with any of these viruses. In addition, there were no significant differences in amounts of interferon produced by lymphocytes from MS patients in three different clinical stages of the disease.