IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1 and G-CSF are significantly increased in cerebrospinal fluid but not in sera of patients with central neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus

• Published in: Lupus 2016-08, Vol.25 (9), p.997-1003
• Main Authors: Yoshio, T, Okamoto, H, Kurasawa, K, Dei, Y, Hirohata, S, Minota, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Central nervous system; Cerebrospinal fluid; Chemokine CCL2 - blood; Chemokine CCL2 - cerebrospinal fluid; Chemokine CXCL10 - blood; Chemokine CXCL10 - cerebrospinal fluid; Chemokines; Chemokines - blood; Chemokines - cerebrospinal fluid; Colony-stimulating factor; Cytokines; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - blood; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - cerebrospinal fluid; Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; Humans; Interferon; Interleukin 6; Interleukin 8; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukin-6 - cerebrospinal fluid; Interleukin-8 - blood; Interleukin-8 - cerebrospinal fluid; IP-10 protein; Lupus; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System - blood; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System - cerebrospinal fluid; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1; Neurological complications; RANTES; Serum levels; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Up-Regulation; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0961-2033; 1477-0962
• DOI: 10.1177/0961203316629556

Objective To determine whether the intrathecal concentrations of cytokines/chemokines are associated with, or influenced by, serum concentrations in patients with central neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), and to ascertain whether the increased production of cytokines/chemokines intrathecally relative to serum levels is associated with the presence of central NPSLE. Methods 52 SLE patients (30 with central NPSLE and 22 with non-NPSLE), for whom the CSF and serum samples were obtained at the same time, were enrolled. 27 kinds of cytokine/chemokine concentrations other than IFN-α in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples were measured by Bio-Plex Pro Assays. IFN-α concentration and anti-ribosomal P protein antibody (anti-P) titres in CSF and serum samples were measured by ELISA. Results The mean concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, G-CSF and GM-CSF were higher in the CSF than in the sera, respectively, while the mean concentrations of other 22 cytokines/chemokines, including RANTES and IFN-α, in the CSF were much lower than those in the sera, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1 and G-CSF in the CSF of the 30 patients with NPSLE were significantly higher than in the 22 patients with non-NPSLE (p = 6.82 × 10−5, p = 0.00037, p = 0.0028, p = 0.00065, and p = 0.0001, respectively), while the concentration of GM-CSF in the CSF of the 30 patients with NPSLE was not significantly higher than in the 22 patients with non-NPSLE. Most importantly, the largest difference occurred in CSF IL-6 concentrations. A significant positive correlation between CSF anti-P titres and serum anti-P titres in 52 patients with SLE (r = 0.6316, p = 6.44 × 10−6) was found, while no significant positive correlation was observed between CSF levels and serum levels of each cytokine/chemokine in the 52 SLE patients. Conclusion In central NPSLE the production of IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1 and G-CSF might take place in the central nervous system (CNS). These increased CSF cytokines/chemokines along with anti-P might have a prerequisite role in the pathogenesis of central NPSLE.