title: Relation between pro-inflammatory cytokines and acetylcholine levels in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating and neurodegenerative disorder. Since acetylcholine (ACh) is known to participate in the inflammatory response, we investigated the possible relationship between  pro-inflammatory cytokines and acetylcholine levels in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) patients. Levels of ACh and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL1-&beta; and  IL-17 were measured both in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sera of 22 RR-MS patients in the relapsing phase and in 17 control subjects affected by other non-neurological diseases (OND). We observed higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1&beta; and IL-17 in both CSF and serum of RR-MS patients compared to control subjects. Moreover, ACh levels were lower in CSF and serum of RR-MS patients compared to levels of control subjects. Although the relationship between high inflammatory cytokine levels and low ACh levels need to be further investigated in the future, our data suggest that IL-1&beta;, and cytokines induced by it, such as IL-17 and ACh, may be involved in the pathogenesis  of MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara,  Via Dei Vestini, 31 66100 Chieti, Italy. mreale@unich.it.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Angelis
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: di Nicola
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capello
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: di Ioia
authors.forename: Giovanna de
authors.initials: Gd
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lugaresi
authors.forename: Ada Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tata
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D020381:Interleukin-17; D000109:Acetylcholine