title: Levels of IL-1beta and IL-1ra in cerebrospinal fluid of human patients after single and prolonged seizures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimentally induced seizures are associated with increased production of inflammatory cytokines in the nervous system. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been found after a single generalized seizure in human patients. After prolonged seizures, levels of IL-6 have been shown to be even higher compared with single seizures. In the present study, we determined the levels of proconvulsive IL-1beta and anticonvulsive IL-1ra in cerebrospinal fluid after single tonic-clonic seizures as well as after prolonged seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that after single seizures, a slight increase in anticonvulsive IL-1ra levels was found; however, after prolonged partial or recurrent tonic-clonic seizures, the levels of IL-1ra were significantly elevated, together with decreased IL-1beta levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that after severe seizures, the balance between IL-1-type cytokines is changed towards a neuroprotective and anticonvulsive direction with an overproduction of IL-1ra with respect to potentially neurotoxic IL-1beta. This reaction may serve as a defense mechanism of the nervous system against excitotoxic neuronal damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33521 Tampere, Finland. kai.lehtimaki@pshp.fi
authors.forename: Kai A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.forename: Tapani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keränen
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palmio
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peltola
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000276:immunology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D012008:Recurrence; D012640:Seizures / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D009498:Neurotoxins