Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the CSF of patients with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

Abstract We investigated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) and other neurological diseases. Concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, TNF-α and TGF-β 2 were determined in CSF using ELISA. Significant changes were found for IL-8 and TGF-β 2. IL-8 levels were elevated in the CSF of CJD patients. Of interest, the increase was significant to other dementia and to controls. In contrast, TGF-β 2 was significantly decreased in CSF of CJD compared to all groups. IL-1β, IL-12 and TNF-α could not be detected in CSF or in case of IL-6 in only low concentrations without significant difference.