Concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Meningitis and Control

Chang, Myung Woong; Cho, Dong; Kang, Kyung Hee

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the level of inflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with meningitis. All the CSF of the patients were examined by Gram and acid-fast stain, culture, and PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycoplasrma spp..The levels of sugar, protein and leukocytes count were also evaluated in the CSFs. Concentrations of Interleukin (IL)-1B, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a in the CSF were evaluated by the ELISA kit (Genzyme, USA). General bacteria, tubercle bacilli, and Mycoplasma spp. were not detected with stain and culture methods, but, Mycoplasma spp. was detected by PCR method from four (6.3%) patients with meningitis. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-cx in the control group were 0.6+/-0.2, 896.8+/-107.6, 50.1+/-5.1, and 4.8+/-1.4 pg/ml, respectively. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in the patients with aseptic meningitis were 3.8+/-0.6, 1261.6+/-144.3, 466.7+/-42.3, and 10.8+/-2.0 pg/ml, respectively. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in the patients with mycoplasmal meningitis were 10.2+/-8.1, 1979.5+/-133.8, 459.7+/-96.4, and 17.5+/-5.1 pg/ml, respectively. There were significantly differences in the levels of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a between control and patients with aseptic meningitis or Mycoplasmal meningitis (each p<0.001). These results suggest that increased levels of IL-1B, IL-8, and TNF-a could be higly suggestive of meningitis.