title: Proinflammatory cytokines in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of CIDP patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the role of cytokines in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). Interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-15 are the major growth and differentiation factors for Th-1 cells and IL-17 is a marker of Th-17 cell expansion and activation,  a high proinflammatory new subset of T cells that induce severe autoimmunity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured by enzyme-like immunosorbent assay serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of IL-15, IL-12, and IL-17 in 24 patients with CIDP and 12 patients with other non-inflammatory  neurological disorders and serum levels in 16 healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a positive association of CSF IL-12 (P = 0·012) with CIDP presence (P<0·001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that IL-12 may be involved as potential  marker of immune activation in CIDP. The increase in its levels in CSF may be a marker of initiation of Th-1 cell-mediated immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Athens National University, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. mrentzos@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rentzos
authors.forename: Aikaterini V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Angeli
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rombos
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kyrozis
authors.forename: Chryssoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zouvelou
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoga
authors.forename: Maria-Eleni
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulos
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsatsi
authors.forename: Anthousa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsoutsou
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Evdokimidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines