title: Interleukin-8 and RANTES levels in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) treated with cladribine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chemokines are involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of immunosuppressive therapy on production of two proinflammatory chemokines--interleukin-8 (IL-8) and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis were treated with 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (Cladribine), administered subcutaneously in 6 cycles repeated every 5 weeks. IL-8 and RANTES levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) method in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After Cladribine treatment the levels of IL-8 decreased significantly in CSF only, whereas the RANTES levels decreased significantly both in CSF and serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that Cladribine therapy might modify the circulating level of RANTES.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland. halbp@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bartosik-Psujek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belniak
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitosek-Szewczyk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dobosz
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Stelmasiak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood*; D017338:Cladribine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016209:Interleukin-8; D017338:Cladribine