Distinct intrathecal interleukin-17/interleukin-6 activation in anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis

J Neuroimmunol. 2016 Aug 15:297:141-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2016.05.023. Epub 2016 Jun 1.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytokine/chemokine levels between anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients. Samples from fourteen anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients, ten anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients, and ten controls were analyzed for the following cytokines/chemokines: IL-1b, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-23, GM-CSF, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and CXCL13. Compared with controls, CSF IL-17A, IL-6 and CXCL13 were elevated in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients (post-hoc p-values 0.002, 0.011, and 0.011, respectively) but not in anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients. In the serum, only IL-2 was increased in anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Intrathecal IL-17/IL-6 activation is a characteristic of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Keywords: Autoimmune encephalitis; CXCL13; Cytokine; IL-17A; IL-6; LGI1; NMDAR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis / blood
  • Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantibodies / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Cytokines / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Female
  • Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-17 / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Interleukin-6 / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Cytokines
  • Glycoproteins
  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-6