engleski

Multiple sclerosis: Cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and soluble interleukin-6 receptor.

-Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are proinflammatory cytokines upregulated in multiple sclerosis (MS). They act via specific receptors. They are also responsible for autoimmune response and demyelination in central nervous system. In order to evaluate TNF-alpha and IL-6 utility in the diagnosis of MS, we assayed these cytokines in 36 paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from active MS patients, and from 23 patients with non inflammatory neurological diseases (NIND) serving as a control group. One-step, monoclonal antibody-based "sandwich" ELISA was used to determine the levels of TNF-alpha directly, and the levels of IL-6 indirectly (by measuring his soluble receptor, sIL-6R). CSF contained no measurable amounts of TNF-alpha but it was measurable in some sera. Soluble IL-6R was, however, readily determined showing about 25 to 40 times higher concentrations in serum than in CSF. Linear correlation between sample protein content and sIL-6R concentration has not been demonstrated. Soluble IL-6R constitutes 3 - 6 times higher proportion of total proteins in CSF than those in serum. Regardless of assayed sample, no significant difference relating to the disease status, sex or age of the patient could be observed. It could be concluded that assays of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R) in cerebrospinal fluid and/or serum of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis are of no value as markers of the disease activity.

multiple sclerosis; TNF-alpha; IL-6 receptor; cerebrospinal fluid

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