Transmigration Of Pbmncs From Beta-Ifn-Lb-Treated Ms Patients: A One-Year Longitudinal Study

To evaluate the effects of in vivo beta -IFN-1b treatment on transmigration of mononuclear cells, we monitored for one year in vitro mononuclear cells trafficking through HUVECs monolayers stratified over a collagen gel during beta -IEFN-1b treatment of 7 RR MS patients.The number of transmigrated cells was analysed before treatment (T0) and after 3 (T3), 6 (T6) and 12 months (T12); at the same time, levels of serum MMP-9 were quantified.The number of transmigrated cells decreased during treatment compared to pre-treatment values: the lowest number of transmigrated cells was detected at T3, and, although transmigration was still lower at T12, there was a trend to a return to pre-treatment levels over time.The amount of MMP-9 also decreased during therapy, although we could not find an absolute correlation between transmigration and levels of MMP-9, nor between either parameter and the clinical course of patients.