Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin is elevated in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons in the brainstem, motor cortex, and spinal cord. Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have been implicated in the pathophysiology of ALS. Members of the family of damage-associated molecular patterns, including reactive oxygen species, high-mobility group box 1, and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), may participate in pathological conditions. In this study, we aim to discover new biomarker for detecting ALS.

We examined 44 patients with ALS, 41 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 41 patients with Parkinson's disease, and 44 healthy controls. The concentration of serum EDN was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

EDN levels were significantly increased 2.17-fold in the serum of patients with ALS as compared with healthy controls (P < 0.05). No correlation between the levels of serum EDN and various clinical parameters of ALS was found. Moreover, the levels of serum EDN in patients with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls were similar.

A higher level of serum EDN was found specifically in patients with ALS, indicating that EDN may participate in the pathophysiology of ALS.