Cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 level evolution is associated with autoimmune encephalitis remission

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) presents heterogeneously, making prediction difficult.
• Biomarkers are needed to monitor AIE progression and treatment response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between specific biomarkers and the clinical course of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE).
• To assess the utility of biomarkers in predicting AIE evolution and therapeutic efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 37 AIE cases categorized by disease activity (active, improved, remission).
• Measurement of nine proteins, including YKL-40 (chitinase 3-like 1) and activated MMP-9 (MMP-9A), in serum and CSF at diagnosis and follow-up.

Main Results:

• Decreased YKL-40 and MMP-9A in CSF, and NfL/NfH in serum, correlated with AIE remission.
• CSF YKL-40 changes significantly predicted disease activity: increasing levels indicated active AIE, while decreasing levels correlated with improvement or remission.
• CSF YKL-40 levels were significantly lower in improved and remission groups compared to the active group.

Conclusions:

• YKL-40 concentration in CSF is a promising biomarker for monitoring AIE clinical course.
• YKL-40 may aid in tracking disease activity and evaluating treatment effectiveness in AIE patients.