Production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The presence of activated microglia in the spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients is usually accompanied by inflammatory biochemical changes, but these are largely unexplored. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is critical for recruitment of inflammatory cells of monocytic lineage after inflammation or injury to the central nervous system. MCP-1 concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the serum of 27 patients with ALS and 30 patients with noninflammatory neurological diseases. In ALS, circulating MCP-1 levels were significantly increased in the serum and particularly in the CSF. Immunoreactivity for MCP-1 in ALS spinal cord was detected mostly in astrocytes but also in microglia, neurons, and within the vasculature of the cord. Our findings suggest a role for MCP-1 as an important molecular mediator of the injury response in ALS.
Baron
Pierluigi
P
Department of Neurological Sciences, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan Medical School, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via S. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy. pierluigi.baron@unimi.it
Bussini
Simona
S
Cardin
Veronica
V
Corbo
Massimo
M
Conti
Giancarlo
G
Galimberti
Daniela
D
Scarpini
Elio
E
Bresolin
Nereo
N
Wharton
Stephen B
SB
Shaw
Pamela J
PJ
Silani
Vincenzo
V
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2