RESUMO
Objectives: Interleukin [IL]-33 is a cytokine with both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects involved in the pathogenesis of some inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the serum and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] IL-33 concentrations in patients with multiple sclerosis [MS]
Methods: Blood specimens were obtained from 140 patients with MS [46 males and 94 females] with various disease patterns and treatment plans and 140 healthy subjects [47 males and 93 females], who acted as a control group. CSF samples were collected from 20 MS group and 20 sex- and agematched patients with other neurological diseases of nonautoimmune etiology. The serum and CSF concentrations of IL-33 were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Results: The serum and CSF IL-33 levels were significantly higher in the MS group compared to the control group [p<0.001 and p<0.050, respectively]. The serum IL-33 concentrations were also significantly higher in newly diagnosed [untreated] patients and patients treated with methylprednisolone or with interferon-beta and methylprednisolone compared to the healthy patient group [p<0.007, p<0.002, and p<0.010, respectively]. Moreover, the serum IL-33 concentrations in patients with relapsing-remitting [RRMS], primary progressive [PPMS], and secondary progressive [SPMS] forms of the disease were significantly higher than in the healthy control group [p<0.006, p<0.001, and p<0.020, respectively]
Conclusions: Our results showed increased concentrations of IL-33 in patients with MS including both untreated and treated MS patients and patients with the RRMS, SPMS, and PPMS forms. This suggests that IL-33 may be involved in the pathogenesis of all MS forms and treatment with methylprednisolone or both interferon-beta plus methylprednisolone has no influence on IL-33 concentrations