Expression analysis of cytokine coding genes in epileptic patients

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder in which immune dysregulation is shown to be involved. Imbalances in the cytokine levels both in serum and brain tissue have been demonstrated in epileptic patients. In the present study, we assessed mRNA expression of TNF-α, TGF-β, IFN-γ, CXCL8, IL-1β, IL-2, 1L-4, IL-6, IL-17 and CXCL8 in blood samples of 40 epileptic patients compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls by means of quantitative real time PCR. The relative levels of CXCL8 transcripts were significantly higher in total epileptic patients compared with healthy subjects (P = .023). Relative mRNA expression of IFN-γ was significantly higher in female patients compared with female healthy subject (P = .048). In addition, significant correlations have been found between the mRNA levels of mentioned cytokines. Such imbalance between expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines might be implicated in the pathogenesis of epilepsy.