RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the levels of chemokines 8 and 10 (CXCL8 and CXCL10), Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ) and Th2 cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurosyphilis and elucidate their roles in the immune response and pathogenesis of neurosyphilis. METHODS: Using ELISA, we detected the expressions of CXCL8, CXCL10, IL2, IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-10 in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of 42 cases of neurosyphilis, 44 cases of syphilis and 40 cases of non-inflammatory diseases of the nervous system (the control group). RESULTS: The serum levels of CXCL8, CXCL10, IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly lower in the neurosyphilis group than in the syphilis and control groups (P < 0.05), and so were they in the male than in the female neurosyphilis patients (P < 0.05). However, the expressions of CXCL8, CXCL10, IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-10 in the cerebrospinal fluid were remarkably higher in the neurosyphilis group than in the syphilis and control groups (P < 0.05), and so were they in the male than in the female neurosyphilis patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with neurosyphilis have cellular immune dysfunction, and their immune response involves CXCL8, CXCL10 and Th1 / Th2 cytokines.