title: Nitric oxide metabolites and interleukin-6 in cerebrospinal fluid from multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) are implicated in the pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS). We have investigated the levels of these mediators in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 50 patients with MS and 23 control subjects. Mean CSF IL-6 level was higher in the total MS group in comparison with controls, but not significantly, whilst the difference between patients with stable MS and controls reached the level of statistical significance. Mean CSF nitrite/nitrate level was significantly higher in the total MS group compared with the control group, as well as in active MS patients versus controls. There was significant difference neither in the mean CSF IL-6 nor in nitrite/nitrate levels between active and stable MS patients. Interestingly, we observed a significant negative correlation between IL-6 and nitrite/nitrate levels in the CSF in the total MS group. Such a trend existed in both subgroups with active and stable MS, but without reaching the level of statistical significance. Our data further support the involvement of IL-6 and NO in ongoing pathological processes in MS, suggesting their potential interplay within the central nervous system in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biological Research Sinisa Stankovic, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. georgije_zw@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dj
authors.initials: Dj
authors.lastname: Miljkovic
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drulovic
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trajkovic
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mesaros
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dujmovic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maksimovic
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samardzic
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stojsavljevic
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Levic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostarica Stojkovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide