High levels of interleukin 10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in cerebrospinal fluid during the onset of bacterial meningitis.
Since interleukin-10 (IL-10) controls the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and this latter cytokine has a deleterious effect on neuronal cells, we determined the levels of both cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with bacterial meningitis. High levels of IL-10 (1,164 pg/mL) and TNF-alpha (3,158 pg/mL) were detected in CSF from 10 children with meningitis, but these cytokines were not detectable in CSF from 12 controls. In vitro neutralization of IL-10 demonstrated that endogenously formed IL-10 is important for limiting the production of TNF-alpha by leukocytes. We assume that IL-10 in CSF will decrease the inflammatory reaction associated with meningitis and will result in the development of fewer sequelae because of its inhibitory effect on the production of TNF-alpha.
van Furth
A M
AM
Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Seijmonsbergen
E M
EM
Langermans
J A
JA
Groeneveld
P H
PH
de Bel
C E
CE
van Furth
R
R
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10