Altered Serum Cytokine Profiles in Relapse Phase of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and cytokines may play a role in the development of MS lesions.


OBJECTIVE
To determine levels of different cytokines in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) compared to healthy controls.


METHODS
Profiles of pro-inflammatory, Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-related cytokines were compared by quantitative multiplexed ELISA-based chemiluminescent assay in 44 RR-MS and 44 healthy age- and sex-matched individuals from the same ethnicity.


RESULTS
Among pro-inflammatory cytokines, the levels of IL-6 (p=0.003), IL-8 (p=0.05) and TNF-α (p=0.002) were higher in patients than controls, though IL-4 and IL-10 as well as ΣTh2 cytokines were lower in patients (p=0.05, p=0.02 and p=0.05, respectively). After gender classification, the higher levels of IL-4 in male patients remained significant and IL-13 also showed significantly higher levels in male patients compared to male controls (p=0.003 and p=0.05, respectively). A significant negative correlation was detected between EDSS and IL-10 or ΣTh2 levels (p=0.005). In addition, IL-1α (r=0.4, p=0.05) and IFN-γ (r=0.35, p=0.05) were also directly correlated with EDSS in female patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with RR MS who are in the relapse clinical phase exhibit higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduction in protective Th2-related cytokines.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Forooz
F
Peiravian
Hamid
H
Rajaian
Afshin
A
Samiei
Nasser
N
Gholijani
Behrouz
B
Gharesi-Fard
Pooneh
P
Mokaram
Abbas
A
Rahimi-Jaberi
Eskandar
E
Kamali Sarvestani
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000276:immunology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators