High tumor necrosis factor-alpha [corrected] levels in cerebrospinal fluid of cobalamin-deficient patients.
We studied 14 patients with neurological manifestations of subacute combined degeneration (SCD) and 40 control patients not cobalamin (Cbl)-deficient. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of Cbl deficiency (Cbl and total homocysteine [tHCYS] levels) and the CSF levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were measured. Significantly higher levels of tHCYS and TNF-alpha, and significantly lower levels of Cbl and EGF were found in the SCD patients. In human CSF, as in human serum and the rat central nervous system, decreased Cbl concentrations are concomitant with an increase in TNF-alpha and a decrease in EGF-levels. Ann Neurol 2004;56:886-890.
Scalabrino
Giuseppe
G
Institute of General Pathology, University of Milan, Italy. giuseppe.scalabrino@unimi.it
Carpo
Marinella
M
Bamonti
Fabrizia
F
Pizzinelli
Simona
S
D'Avino
Carla
C
Bresolin
Nereo
N
Meucci
Giuseppe
G
Martinelli
Vittorio
V
Comi
Gian Carlo
GC
Peracchi
Maddalena
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014805:Vitamin B 12