Cytokine mapping in cerebrospinal fluid and blood in multiple sclerosis patients without oligoclonal bands.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Since there are clinical and genetic differences between MS patients with intrathecal oligoclonal bands (OCB+) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compared with those without (OCB-), the aim was to find out if OCB- patients showed a different pattern of cytokine immune activation compared with OCB+ patients. METHODS: The study included 25 MS patients (10 OCB- and 15 OCB+) and 13 controls. A panel of cytokines was measured; IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8/CXCL8, IL-10, TNF and GM-CSF in serum, CSF and in supernatants from polyclonally stimulated blood mononuclear cells, where also levels of IL-12p40, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17 and IFN-γ were measured. The concentrations of soluble (s) VCAM-1 and sCD14 were measured in serum and CSF. RESULTS: In general, there were no extensive differences in cytokine concentrations between the OCB- and OCB+ groups. CONCLUSION: OCB- MS patients do not seem to constitute a separate entity concerning inflammatory parameters measured as cytokine concentrations in CSF and blood.