Cerebrospinal fluid levels of CXCL13 are elevated in neuromyelitis optica.
BACKGROUND
B cells are believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of NMO. Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (CXCL13), the most potent B-cell chemoattractant, is a chemokine which is critical for secondary lymphoid tissue development and for B-cell migration. Concentration of CXCL13 in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is elevated in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, whether levels of CSF CXCL13 are elevated in NMO patients still remain unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To measure the CSF concentration of CXCL13 in NMO patients, and to determine its relationship with NMO disease activity.


METHODS
CSF CXCL13 was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in NMO (n=22), MS (n=18) patients and controls (CTLs) (n=12).


RESULTS
CSF CXCL13 levels in NMO were notable higher than MS (p=0.015) and CTLs (p<0.001), and were related to the NMO disease activity indicated by relapse rate and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores. NMO Patients with the higher relapse rates exhibited the higher CXCL13 concentrations in their CSF; and a trend of increased disease disability with increased CSF CXCL13 level was revealed. The CSF CXCL13 concentrations seemed to associate with CSF white blood cell counting, total protein concentration in NMO subgroup, thought did not quite reach statistical significance (WBC, p=0.473; TP, p=0.276).


CONCLUSIONS
The concentration of CSF CXCL13 was elevated in NMO patients, and correlated with NMO activity.
Department of Neurology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Xiaonan
X
Zhong
Honghao
H
Wang
Yongqiang
Y
Dai
Aimin
A
Wu
Jian
J
Bao
Wen
W
Xu
Chen
C
Cheng
Zhengqi
Z
Lu
Wei
W
Qiu
Xueqiang
X
Hu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
C110663:CXCL13 protein, human; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13