title: Low CD40L levels and relative lymphopenia in narcoleptic patients.
abstract: Narcolepsy has been studied as a possible autoimmune disease for many years, and recent findings lend more credence to this belief. Although recent and important advances have been done, no study has analyzed the role of the CD40L in patients with narcolepsy. The purpose of this study was to assess CD40L levels, CD3, TCD4, TCD8, CD19, and CD56 lymphocytes, as well as levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in narcoleptic patients. We quantified the levels of CD40L, different types of lymphocytes, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in narcoleptic patients and control subjects. Narcoleptic patients had lower levels of CD40L. Total lymphocytes; CD3, and TCD4 were lower than in the control group. Our findings highlight the important role of CD40L in narcolepsy.
authors.affiliation: Psychobiology Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. morgadinho.coelho@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Fernando Morgadinho Santos
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pradella-Hallinan
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedrazzoli
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto Senne
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Gustavo Bruniera Peres
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Brian James
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tufik
authors.forename: Lia Rita Azeredo
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000068797:Orexins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017286:Polysomnography; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D015850:Interleukin-6; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023201:CD40 Ligand