Increased interleukin-6 of skin and serum in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Studies of skin in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have demonstrated morphological and biochemical alterations. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been suggested to have a trophic effect in nerve cells and to have a direct pathogenic role in neurodegenerative central nervous system (CNS) disorders. However, little is known concerning IL-6 in ALS patients. We examined IL-6 immunoreactivity of biopsy specimens of skin and measured serum IL-6 levels from 11 ALS patients and 11 diseased control subjects. IL-6 immunoreactivity was markedly positive in the epidermis and dermal blood vessels and glands and was moderately positive in the reticular dermis in all ALS patients. These optical densities for IL-6 immunoreactivity in ALS patients were significantly higher than in control subjects, and were significantly increased with duration of illness. Serum IL-6 levels were detected in 8 (73%) of 11 ALS patients compared with only 1 (9%) of 11 diseased control subjects. Serum IL-6 levels were significantly correlated with duration of illness in ALS patients and immunoreactivity of IL-6 of the epidermis. These data suggest that the increased levels of serum IL-6 may reflect an increased IL-6 immunoreactivity of skin in ALS patients.
Ono
S
S
Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Ichihara Hospital, 3426-3, Anesaki, Ichihara, Chiba 299-0111, Japan. ono@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Hu
J
J
Shimizu
N
N
Imai
T
T
Nakagawa
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*
D015850:Interleukin-6