Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Markers of Inflammation in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Farrokhi, Mehrdad^a | Jahanbani-Ardakani, Hamidreza^{a; d; *} | Eskandari, Nahid^b | Shaygannejad, Vahid^c | Ghafari, Sara^{a; d}

Affiliations: [a] Medical student, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran | [b] Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran | [c] Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran | [d] Isfahan Medical Students Research Center (IMSRC), Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Hamidreza Jahanbani-Ardakani, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. E-mail: hamidreza_jahanbaniardakani@yahoo.com.

Abstract: Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Cytokines plays critical role in pathogenesis of disease. Until now, serum and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of many biomarkers and their correlations with MS features have been evaluated. In this study, we measured serum and CSF levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and IFN-γ in patients with Multiple sclerosis and their correlations with paraclinical features of MS have been evaluated. Materials and methods: CSF and serum samples were recruited from relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients (n = 40) and healthy subjects (n = 40). CSF and serum level measurement of IFN-γ and CRP were performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: CSF and serum levels of IFN-γ and CRP were significantly higher in MS patients compared to healthy control group (P < 0.01). We found positive correlations between the CSF and serum levels of IFN-γ and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) of the MS patients (r = +0.80, P < 0.01; r = +0.34 and P = 0.03, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant association between the serum levels of CRP and EDSS of the patients (r = +0.54 and P < 0.01). Conclusion: Our findings reveal the increased CSF and serum levels of IFN-γ and CRP in MS patients. Our data suggest that determining serum levels of IFN-γ and CRP could be useful for understanding and monitoring the inflammatory response in MS. Furthermore, CSF levels of IFN-γ is more reliable and useful than its serum levels for monitoring of severity of disability in MS patients.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, interferon gamma, C-reactive protein, inflammation, ELISA

DOI: 10.3233/NIB-170121

Journal: Advances in Neuroimmune Biology, vol. 6, no. 3-4, pp. 149-152, 2017