Changes in circulating dendritic cells and B-cells in patients with multiple sclerosis relapse during corticosteroid therapy.

We studied dendritic, myeloid (mDCs) (BDCA1+/CD19-) and plasmacytoid cells (pDCs) (BDCA2+/CD123+) and B-cells (CD19+) at relapse, after short intravenous methyloprednisolone therapy and 30 days after treatment completion (remission period) and results were compared with a control group of healthy volunteers. We confirmed the decrease in BDCA2+/CD123+ after therapy (p=0.00006) and then an increase (p=0.0032) in comparison to the control group. The level of B CD19+ cells after GC therapy increased compared to the control group (p=0.00809) and had stabilised 30 days after therapy. The effect of methyloprednisolone on DC function and B-cell levels thus changes.