title: Interleukin-15 and interleukin-12 are elevated in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is evidence that immunological factors may be involved in pathogenic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Interleukin (IL)-15 and IL-12 are proinflammatory cytokines produced by activated blood and glial cells. They promote T cell differentiation and proliferation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured by ELISA serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of IL-15 and IL-12 in 21 patients with ALS and 19 patients with other noninflammatory neurological disorders (NIND) studied as a control group. IL-15 and IL-12 serum and CSF levels were also correlated with duration of the disease, the disability level determined using the revised ALS Functional Rating Scale and the clinical subtype of the disease onset in patients with ALS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-15 and IL-12 serum levels were higher in patients with ALS as compared with patients with NIND (p = 0.014 and p = 0.011, respectively). IL-15 and IL-12 CSF levels were also increased in patients with ALS (p = 0.011 and p = 0.005, respectively). IL-15 and IL-12 levels were not correlated with disease duration, disability scale or clinical subtype of the disease onset in ALS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that these molecules may be involved in the pathogenic mechanisms acting as potential markers of immune activation in ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Athens National University, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. mrentzos @ med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rentzos
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rombos
authors.forename: Chryssoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoga
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zouvelou
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitrakopoulos
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alexakis
authors.forename: Anthousa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsoutsou
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samakovli
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalopoulou
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Evdokimidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019409:Interleukin-15; D018664:Interleukin-12