Purpose: Knowledge of the role of chemokines in the inflammation during neuroborreliosis (NB) is limited. We evaluated the pre- and post-treatment concentration of CXCL8, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL12, and CXCL13 in serum (s) and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) in patients with NB.
Results: There was a statistically significant increase in pre-treatment s CXCL8, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL12, CXCL13 and csf CXCL8, CXCL11, CXCL12, CXCL13 in patients with early form of NB. CXCL8, CXCL11, CXCL12 and CXCL13 increase was the highest in csf. After treatment, a significant decrease in csf chemokine levels (except CXCL10) and s levels (except CXCL11) was observed.
Conclusions: CXCL8, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL12, CXCL13 are involved in the pathomechanism of NB but their role is different in s and csf. CXCL13 seems to be a good biomarker for NB. In early NB, it may facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy. However tick-borne encephalitis needs to be excluded as it also increases chemokine concentration. Decrease in all examined chemokines in s and csf after treatment suggests that chemokines may be useful in monitoring response to NB therapy.
Keywords: CXCL10; CXCL11; CXCL12; CXCL13; CXCL8; Neuroborreliosis.
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