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Decreased serum interleukin-2 level in patients with chronic headache
T Shimomura1, S Araga, E Esumi
1Division of Neurology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Insights
This study found lower serum Interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels in migraine and tension-type headache patients compared to healthy individuals. These findings suggest immune function may be impaired in chronic headache disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Immunology
- Neurology
Background:
- Cellular immune functions can be impaired in cluster headache patients.
- Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a T-cell growth factor crucial for immune responses.
- Understanding immune markers in chronic headaches like migraine and tension-type headache (TH) is important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cellular immune functions by measuring serum Interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentrations.
- To compare IL-2 levels in patients with migraine and tension-type headache (TH) against healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Serum IL-2 levels were measured in 13 migraine patients, 46 TH patients, and 43 healthy volunteers.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques were employed for IL-2 quantification.
Main Results:
- Healthy controls had a mean serum IL-2 level of 3.18 U/ml.
- Migraine patients showed a mean IL-2 level of 2.29 U/ml, significantly lower than controls.
- TH patients exhibited a mean IL-2 level of 1.59 U/ml, also significantly lower than controls.
Conclusions:
- Patients with migraine and tension-type headache (TH) have significantly reduced serum IL-2 levels.
- Decreased IL-2 may indicate impaired cellular immune function in chronic headache disorders.
- Reduced IL-2 could potentially reflect alterations in central nervous system neurotransmitters like serotonin (5-HT) or catecholamines.
Abstract:
Some cellular immune functions are impaired in cluster headache patients. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a polypeptide secreted by antigen or mitogen-actuated T lymphocytes that functions as a growth factor for T cells. To investigate cellular immune functions in patients with chronic headache, we measured the IL-2 concentration of sera in patients with migraine and in patients with tension-type headache. Thirteen subjects suffering from migraine without aura (5 males and 8 females, mean age: 32.8 years) and 46 subjects (20 males and 26 females, mean age: 39.7 years) with tension-type headache (TH) were selected for this study. Forty-three normal healthy volunteers composed the control group (15 males and 28 females, average age 41.6 years). The IL-2 levels of sera were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques. The IL-2 levels of sera were 3.18 +/- 1.8 U/ml (mean +/- SD) in the healthy controls, 2.29 +/- 2.6 U/ml in the patients with migraine and 1.59 +/- 1.0 U/ml in the patients with TH. The serum level of IL-2 in the patients with migraine was significantly lower than in the controls. The serum level of IL-2 in the patients with TH was significantly lower than in the controls. The central nervous system (CNS) has been considered to be involved in the development of the immune phenomena. In the patients with TH or migraine, reduction in platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels and sympathetic hypofunction have been observed. These phenomena might reflect decrease in 5-HT levels in CNS in the patients with TH or migraine. The decreased serum IL-2 level, observed in this study, might reflect a reduction in 5-HT or catecholamine levels in CNS in the patients with migraine or TH.
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