Determination of Toll-like receptor-induced cytokine profiles in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of Chikungunya patients.
BACKGROUND
Chikungunya infection caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an inflammatory disease affecting the joints and may also lead to neurological complications. We investigated a panel of human Toll-like receptor (TLR)-induced cytokines in Chikungunya patients with and without neurological complications.


METHODS
In a case-control study, a panel of 12 cytokines and chemokines, TNF-α, IFN-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17A, IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, RANTES, interferon (IFN)-γ-induced protein (IP)-10, monokine induced by IFN-γ (MIG) and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), was analysed using a conventional ELISA protocol in the serum samples of Chikungunya patients without neurological complications and in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and paired serum samples of Chikungunya patients with neurological complications.


RESULTS
The levels of 3 cytokines, IL-1β, IL-17A and IL-8, and 4 chemokines, MCP-1, RANTES, IP-10 and TARC, were raised in serum samples of Chikungunya patients without neurological complications, whereas, 4 cytokines, TNF-α, IFN-α, IL-6 and IL-8, and 4 chemokines, MCP-1, RANTES, MIG and TARC, were elevated in CSF samples of Chikungunya patients with neurological complications. Moreover, the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 cytokines were significantly elevated in the CSF compared to paired serum samples in Chikungunya patients with neurological complications.


CONCLUSIONS
In CHIKV infection, multiple cytokines are elevated in serum and CSF. The elevation in IL-6 and IL-8 cytokines in CSF correlates with neurological involvement.
Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Central India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, India.
Rajpal Singh
RS
Kashyap
Shweta
S
Morey
Shradha
S
Bhullar
Neeraj
N
Baheti
Nitin
N
Chandak
Hemant
H
Purohit
Girdhar
G
Taori
Hatim
H
Daginawala
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000209:etiology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*
D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors