INTERLEUKIN-12 AND TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA LEVELS IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

Concentrations of interleukin (IL)-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured in patients wit h multiple sclerosis (MS) and control patients with non-inflammatory n eurological diseases (NIND) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. T NF-alpha was detectable in the CSF of 60% of the patients with active MS, none of those with inactive MS and 29% of patients with NIND. CSF concentrations of TNF-alpha correlated with the degree of disability i n MS patients (P<0.05). Detectable levels of IL-12 were found in 10% o f the MS CSF samples and 18% of NIND CSF samples. There was a signific ant relationship between CSF concentrations of IL-12 and those of TNF- alpha in MS patients (P<0.05); no relationship was observed between th e presence of IL-12 and disease activity or severity. These findings f urther stress the involvement of T helper 1 type-response within the c entral nervous system in MS. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science BV.