title: Circulating levels of cytokines and their modulation by intravenous immunoglobulin in multifocal motor neuropathy.
abstract: We found comparable levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 in the sera of 22 patients with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), 12 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), 12 multiple sclerosis, seven chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, five myasthenia gravis, and 13 healthy controls (NS). TNF-alpha levels, however, were higher in 15 (68%) MMN patients than in any NS. In all but one MMN patient tested, TNF-alpha levels repeatedly, albeit slightly, increased after each intravenous immunoglobulin infusion in parallel with clinical improvement and decreased 3-4 weeks after therapy, while in both ALS patients tested, they decreased or remained unchanged. The possible pathogenetic relevance of serum TNF-alpha modification in MMN remains to be clarified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, 'Giorgio Spagnol' Neuroimmunology Service, Dino Ferrari Center and Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Milan University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Terenghi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allaria
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nobile-Orazio
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma