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Cytokines in Lyme borreliosis: lack of early tumour necrosis factor‐α and transforming growth factor‐β 1 responses are associated with chronic neuroborreliosis
Author(s) -
Widhe Mona,
Grusell Mattias,
Ekerfelt Christina,
Vrethem Magnus,
Forsberg Pia,
Ernerudh Jan
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2002.01500.x
Subject(s) - neuroborreliosis , lyme neuroborreliosis , medicine , cerebrospinal fluid , immunology , lyme disease , tumor necrosis factor alpha , transforming growth factor , immune system , erythema migrans , gastroenterology , borrelia burgdorferi , pathology , antibody , lyme borreliosis
Summary The clinical outcome of the tick born infection Lyme borreliosis seems to be influenced by the type of immune response mounted during the disease, as suggested by various animal models. Here we report the serum and cerebrospinal fluid levels of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF‐β 1 ) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) in samples drawn at different disease intervals during the course of non‐chronic neuroborreliosis ( n =10), chronic neuroborreliosis ( n =15), erythema migrans ( n =8, serum only) and controls ( n =7). When comparing early neuroborreliosis cerebrospinal fluid samples, significantly higher levels of TNF‐α were found in non‐chronic patients than in chronic patients ( P <0·05). Moreover, TGF‐β 1 was increased in the early serum samples of non‐chronic patients, as compared to chronic patients ( P <0·01). Elevated serum levels of TGF‐β 1 were also found in erythema migrans as compared to neuroborreliosis and controls ( P <0·05). The high TNF‐α levels noted in early cerebrospinal fluid samples of non‐chronic patients only, possibly reflects an ongoing pro‐inflammatory immune response in the central nervous system, which could be beneficial in eliminating disease. High serum levels of TGF‐β 1 probably mirror an anti‐inflammatory response, which might play a role in controlling the systemic immune response.