Serum and CSF levels of MCP-1 and IP-10 in multiple sclerosis patients with acute and stable disease and undergoing immunomodulatory therapies

The two chemokines, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and gamma -int erferon inducible protein (IP)-10, are thought to be involved in the pathog enesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). We measured MCP-1 and IP-10 levels in se rum and CSF samples from 38 acute and 25 stable MS patients and from 40 con trols. The latter consisted in patients with other inflammatory neurologica l diseases (OIND) or with non-inflammatory neurological diseases, and healt hy controls. CSF MCP-1 levels exceeded those found in serum in all the pati ents studied as well as in healthy controls. CSF MCP-1 levels were signific antly Lower in acute MS [468 +/- (S.E.M.) 18 pg/ml] than in stable MS (857 +/- 104 pg/ml). When detectable, serum and CSF IP-10 levels were significan tly higher in acute MS (serum 331 +/- 66 pg/ml; CSF 118 +/- 16 pg/ml) than in stable MS (serum 69 +/- 7 pg/ml; CSF 25 +/- 2 pg/ml). Among OIND patient s, those with HIV-1-associated dementia showed high serum and CSF levels of both MCP-1 and IP-10. Those with encephalitis showed high serum and CSF le vels of IP-10 and CSF mononuclear pleiocytosis. We also evaluated the effec ts of 6-methylprednisolone or IFN-beta 1a therapy on circulating MCP-1 and IP-10 levels. Neither MCP-1 nor IP-10 post-therapy levels varied significan tly from baseline values. Our findings suggest that (a) MCP-1 could be cons titutively produced within the brain; (b) MCP-1 and IP-10 CSF levels in acu te MS vary significantly from those in stable MS. and these variations are inverse: and (c) current MS therapies do not modify circulating levels of M CP-1 and IP-10. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.