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Elevated cerebrospinal fluid level of ciliary neurotrophic factor in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
T Ichiyama1, M Nishikawa, T Yoshitomi
1Department of Pediatrics, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minamikogushi, Ube, 755-8505, Yamaguchi, Japan. ichiyama@po.cc.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
Insights
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is undetectable in most pediatric central nervous system inflammatory diseases but elevates during recovery from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), suggesting a role in remyelination.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) in children can lead to significant neurological deficits.
- Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a neurotrophin with potential roles in neuronal survival and repair.
- Understanding biomarker changes in pediatric CNS inflammatory conditions is crucial for diagnosis and prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the concentrations of CNTF in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children diagnosed with various inflammatory CNS diseases.
- To explore the potential role of CNTF in the pathophysiology and recovery of these conditions, particularly acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).
Main Methods:
- CSF samples were collected from pediatric patients diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), acute encephalitis/encephalopathy, bacterial meningitis, and aseptic meningitis.
- CSF samples from healthy children served as controls.
- Concentrations of CNTF in CSF were measured using an unspecified assay.
Main Results:
- CNTF was undetectable in CSF from children with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy and aseptic meningitis, as well as in controls.
- In children with ADEM, CNTF was undetectable during the acute phase but showed elevated concentrations in the convalescent phase.
- Slightly elevated CNTF levels were observed in a minority of children with bacterial meningitis during both acute and convalescent stages.
Conclusions:
- CNTF is not a consistent biomarker in most pediatric inflammatory CNS diseases studied.
- Elevated CNTF during the convalescent phase of ADEM suggests a role in the repair or regulatory processes, potentially involving oligodendrocyte function and remyelination.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise function of CNTF in CNS inflammatory and demyelinating diseases.
Abstract:
We investigated the concentrations of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. We studied 6 children with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), 14 with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy, 17 with bacterial meningitis, and 24 with aseptic meningitis. We found that CNTF was undetectable in the CSF of all children with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy during the acute and convalescent stages, those with aseptic meningitis, and the 25 control subjects. In children with ADEM, CNTF was undetectable during the acute stage, but its concentration was elevated in all six at the convalescent stage. In children with bacterial meningitis, the CNTF concentration was slightly elevated in two of the 17 during the acute stage and another two at the convalescent stage. Our results suggest that CNTF is part of the regulatory system for oligodendrocyte functions, such as remyelination, in ADEM.