Interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer's and de novo Parkinson's disease patients.
Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of 12 control subjects, 11 sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 22 de novo Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using high sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). IL-1 beta and IL-6 contents were significantly elevated in the CSF of de novo PD and AD patients in comparison to the control group. In contrast, the plasma levels were not significantly affected. IL-2 contents in the CSF and plasma samples were unchanged in the three groups compared. Because the two cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-6 are known to play a key role in the interaction between the nervous and immune system, e.g. in the so-called acute phase response, our results support the involvement of immunological events in the complex process of neurodegeneration in AD and PD.
Blum-Degen
D
D
Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Müller
T
T
Kuhn
W
W
Gerlach
M
M
Przuntek
H
H
Riederer
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6