Several hypothesis have been put forward to explain the pathogenesis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). However, the mechanisms leading to the lack of elemination of the virus still remain unclear. Due to the protection function of gd+ T cells in infections, the present investigation examined the percent of gd+ T cells out of all T cells and their characteristics in peripheral blood by flow cytometry. Heat shock proteins (hsps) play an important role in the response of neurons to different factors, therefore the existence of IgG and IgM antibodies against hsps in sera was examined by the ELISA in 14 patients with SSPE. These investigations were also carried out on a control group patients with other neurological diseases (OND). In SSPE patients the average percentage of gd+ T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood was higher (6.9±5.4%) in comparison with OND (1.9±1.9%). The percentage of subtype Vd1/gd+ T cells amounted to 18.5±17.0% in the SSPE patients and to 33.5±27.1% in OND. Active gd+ T cells (CD25+gd+T) were found in 2 of 12 patients with SSPE and in 5 of 14 patients with OND. No differences were found between mean ELISA ratios for IgG and IgM antibodies in the sera of SSPE and OND patients tested for antibodies against hsp 65 and hsp 70. The above data comes from patients with advanced disease treated with immunomodulatory drugs; they confirm a disturbances of cell response in patients with SSPE.

Keywords: gamma-sigma+ T cells, heat shock proteins, SSPE