INDUCTION OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR AND NITRIC-OXIDE BY SHIGELLA STRAINS ISOLATED FROM PATIENTS WITH OR WITHOUT NEUROLOGIC MANIFESTATIONS

The pathogenesis of the Shigella-associated neurological symptoms is u nclear. We examined the potential role of host factors. Sonicates of S higella strains isolated from children with and without neurologic dis turbances were compared regarding their ability to induce tumor necros is factor (TNF) and nitric oxide (NO) in vitro, in mouse macrophage J7 44 cell line. The mean concentrations of TNF (14.6 vs. 4.4 ng/ml) and NO (7.4 vs. 3.7 mu M) induced were higher in response to strains isola ted from children with neurologic complications; the differences were not statistically significant. TNF was also measured in plasma of chil dren with shigellosis, and was found to be elevated in all patients. T he mean concentration of TNF in plasma of children with neurologic man ifestations was higher than that of children with no neurologic sympto ms (450 vs. 138 pg/ml, P < 0.05). It is concluded that TNF and NO may play a role in the development of neurologic manifestations of shigell osis.