title: Cerebrospinal fluid cytokines in patients with tuberculous meningitis.
abstract: The level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, soluble TNF receptors p75 (sTNFR-75) and sTNFR-55, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 were measured in 59 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 15 patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM). TBM was associated with elevated concentrations of TNF-alpha, sTNFR-75, sTNFR-55, IFN-gamma, and IL-10, while CSF IL-12 was undetectable in all TBM patients. A significant correlation between cytokines and CSF adenosine deaminase activity was also found. The levels of TNF-alpha did not decrease over time, being still detectable in the CSF 16 months after starting antibiotic therapy, whereas IFN-gamma along with anti-inflammatory mediators sTNFR-75, sTNFR-55, and IL-10 remained elevated in the CSF for 4-8 months. The chronic release of cytokines in the CSF compartment was related neither to the TBM stage nor to the clinical outcome of the disease, thus suggesting the presence of a continuous activity of the inflammatory process at the site of infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mastroianni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lichtner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vullo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delia
mesh_terms: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D013256:Steroids; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase