Differential release of beta-chemokines in serum and CSF of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
beta-chemokines were recently demonstrated in active MS-lesions. We tested whether MCP-1 and RANTES can also be detected in CSF and serum of patients with MS and whether release is associated with inflammatory disease activity.


METHODS
CSF and serum from 34 patients with newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS), 17 patients with viral meningitis (VM) and 19 patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases (NIND) were investigated by ELISA. RR-MS patients underwent lumbar puncture and Gd-enhanced MRI examinations within 2 days.


RESULTS
MCP-1 was strong intrathecally released in all patients. Compared to NIND CSF-levels were increased in VM (P<0.001) and were decreased in RR-MS (P<0.05). RANTES was only detected in serum in all patients. Levels were higher in VM and RR-MS compared to NIND (P<0.05). A total of 14/34 RR-MS patients exhibited active Gd-enhancing lesions on MRI. They had lower MCP-1 levels in CSF (P<0.001) and serum (P<0.05) and higher serum levels of RANTES (P<0.05) as compared to patients without active lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
MCP-1 and RANTES are differentially released during acute attacks of RR-MS, which might reflect different immunregulatory roles of these beta-chemokines in RR-MS.
Sindern
E
E
Departments of Neurology, Radiology, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, FRG. eckhart.sindern@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Niederkinkhaus
Y
Y
Henschel
M
M
Ossege
L M
LM
Patzold
T
T
Malin
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018946:Chemokine CCL5