Clinical study on CXCL13, CCL17, CCL20 and IL-17 as immune cell migration navigators in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.
BACKGROUND
There has been a growing evidence for the role of chemokines in the pathology of multiple sclerosis. Recently, there has been great emphasis placed on humoral immunity and the T(H)-17 response, which has not yet been thoroughly described in MS. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of specific chemokines involved in B-cell migration (CXCL13) and in the T(H)-17 immune response (IL-17, CCL17, CCL20).


METHODS
Using ELISA, the chosen chemokine concentrations were measured in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of relapsing-remitting MS patients with both active and stable disease, and the relapse prediction rate was calculated.


RESULTS
We found that the CSF concentrations of CXCL13 in patients with RRMS both, during relapse and remission, were significantly higher than in controls. CCL17 and CCL20 were not detected in CSF in either of the groups, whereas serum CCL20 level was significantly higher in remission than during relapse. Intravenous methylprednisolone treatment of patients with relapse did not influence serum CXCL13 and CCL20 levels. However, it did lower CCL17 and IL-17 concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
CXCL13 is an important mediator in MS that is strongly linked to the neuroinflammatory activity of the disease. However, more studies are needed for elucidating the roles of CCL17, CCL20 and IL-17 in MS pathology.
Department of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland. alicjakal@yahoo.com
Alicja
A
Kalinowska-Łyszczarz
Adam
A
Szczuciński
Mikołaj A
MA
Pawlak
Jacek
J
Losy
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054414:Chemokine CCL17 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D054418:Chemokine CCL20 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C106230:CCL17 protein, human; C108355:CCL20 protein, human; C110663:CXCL13 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D054418:Chemokine CCL20; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13; D018925:Chemokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D008775:Methylprednisolone