title: Quantification of Fas protein in CSF of patients with neurocysticercosis.
abstract: Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic disease that affects the central nervous system. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between neuronal death evaluated by the quantification of Fas apoptotic factor and the different evolutive forms of neurocysticercosis accompanied or not by epileptic seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cerebrospinal fluid samples from 36 patients with a diagnosis of neurocysticercosis divided into the following groups: active cystic form (n=15), 9 patients with and 6 without seizures, and calcified form (=21), 9 with and 12 without seizures. Fourteen patients comprised the control group. Fas protein concentrations were determined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only the group of patients with calcified cysts without seizures presented cerebrospinal fluid levels of Fas similar to those of the control group. Higher levels were observed for the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present finding suggests high cerebrospinal fluid levels of soluble Fas protein, except for patients with calcified cysts without seizures. Significant differences were observed for the group with calcified cysts and seizures, suggesting greater neuronal damage in these patients. Replacement of the term inactive cyst with reactive inactive cyst is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Hospital São Paulo, Brazil. jacneuro@hotmail.com
authors.forename: José Augusto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Paulo Henrique Ferreira
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bertolucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000469:parasitology; D016923:Cell Death; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D053200:Fas-Associated Death Domain Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053200:Fas-Associated Death Domain Protein