Increased cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of soluble Fas (CD95/Apo-1) in hydrocephalus.
OBJECTIVE
The ventricular enlargement observed in children with chronically raised intracranial pressure (ICP) causes a secondary loss of brain tissue. In animal studies of hydrocephalus, programmed cell death (apoptosis) has been found as a major mechanism of neuronal injury. One of the regulators of the apoptotic cell death programme is the receptor mediated Fas/Fas ligand interaction.


METHODS
The apoptosis regulating cytokines soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) were studied in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 31 hydrocephalic children undergoing shunt surgery for symptomatic hydrocephalus and 18 controls.


RESULTS
High concentrations of sFas were observed in children with hydrocephalus (median 252 ng/ml); in controls sFas was below the detection limit (0.5 ng/ml). sFasL was undetectable in all but one sample.


CONCLUSIONS
High concentrations of sFas in the CSF of children with hydrocephalus suggest intrinsic sFas production, potentially antagonising pressure mediated Fas activation.
Department of Neonatology, Charité Children's Hospital, Virchow Klinikum, Humboldt University, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. ursula.felderhoff@charite.de
U
U
Felderhoff-Mueser
R
R
Herold
F
F
Hochhaus
P
P
Koehne
E
E
Ring-Mrozik
M
M
Obladen
C
C
Bührer
D000293:Adolescent; D017209:Apoptosis; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor