Cell proliferation inhibition in remitting multiple sclerosis CSF.

Sixty percent of the CSF samples from 21 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in remission inhibited cellular proliferation of a variety of neuronal and glial cell lines. No inhibition was observed with CSF from relapsing or progressive MS patients (0/19). Two of 82 samples from stationary MS patients were positive. No inhibition was found in MS sera. The CSF samples had no effect on myelination of mouse organotypic cerebellar cultures. Like MS cellular proliferation and subsequent lesion formation, the 'deactivation' of the lesion also is an active defined process, rather than just the cessation of the immunological events. Furthermore, approximately 20% of samples from Huntington's, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease patients were also positive. However, no inhibition was seen in CSF from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients or controls.