Cellular mechanisms of neuroimmune interaction in multiple sclerosis: ionotropic glutamate receptors of T-lymphocytes

Using flow cytometry and real-time RT-PCR, we studied the effect of the blockade of glutamate NMDA receptors on the quantitative distribution of IFNγ- and IL-4-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes and the expression of transcription factor of genes T-bet and GATA-3 in immune cells derived from healthy individuals and multiple sclerosis patients (MS). From the results of the study, it follows that blockade of NMDA receptors leads to a decrease in the proportion of studied effector subpopulations of T-lymphocytes, as well as differential modulation of gene expression of transcription factors (TBX21, GATA3). The severity of the negative effect of receptor blockade differs in different subpopulations of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which leads to a shift in the cytokine balance towards “proinflammatory” type 1 T-cells, to a greater extent in patients with MS. Thus, glutamate can regulate the Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 сytokine balance by modulating the activity of NMDA receptors of T lymphocytes in MS.

glutamate, NMDA receptors, T-cells, multiple sclerosis