| Objective To detect the IL-27, IL-35 in patients suffering from the acute neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders(NMOSD). To analyse the association of the IL-27 and IL-35 levels with clinical characteristics. To explore the roles of IL-27 and IL-35 in the pathogenesis of NMOSD.Methods 45 patients with NMOSD were recruited from the Neurology Department of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2012 to July 2015. We enrolled 40 healthy controls(HC) from the Health Care Center of our hospital as a serum control group and 19 patients with other non-inflammatory neurological disorders(ONNDs) as CSF controls. Expanded Disability Status Scale(EDSS) was performed to assess the disability severity. The involved lesions in NMOSD was assessed by the magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Serum AQP-4 antibody was detected by both cell-based assay(CBA) and fluorescence immunoprecipitation assay(FIPA). Serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) IL-27 and IL-35 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The association of the IL-27 and IL-35 levels with other clinical characteristics were analysed.Results1. Serum and CSF IL-27 levels and the Spearman analysis results(1) The serum IL-27 levels in all NMOSD patients(41.85±28.67 pg/ml) and whatever that in the seropositive(43.60±29.25 pg/ml) NMOSD or seronegative(35.73±27.07 pg/ml) NMOSD group were lower than that in HC(66.01±35.56 pg/ml)(p<0.001, p=0.004, p=0.005).(2) The serum IL-27 levels in the treated patients(48.48±23.04 pg/ml) were higher than in the untreated patients(36.08±32.46 pg/ml), but the difference did not meet the level of statistical significance(p>0.05).(3) The serum IL-27 levels were negatively correlated with EDSS and total length of spinal cord lesion( r=-0.314, p=0.035; r=-0.387, p=0.009; r=-0.600, p=0.039).(4) No significant correlations between IL-27 levels and annual relapse rate or AQP4 antibody levels determined by FIPA( r=-0.173, p=0.255; r =-0.056, p=0.715).2. Serum and CSF IL-35 levels and the Spearman analysis results(1) The serum IL-35 levels in all NMOSD patients(0.48±1.34 ng/ml) and in the seropositive(0.55±1.51 ng/ml) and seronegative(0.21±0.29 ng/ml) group were significantly lower than in HC(1.62±2.74 ng/ml)(p=0.009, p=0.017, p=0.079).(2) The serum IL-35 levels in the treated patients(0.11±0.11 ng/ml) were lower than in the untreated patients(0.78±1.79 ng/ml), but the difference was not statistically significant(p>0.05).(3) The serum IL-35 levels were negatively correlated with EDSS and annual relapse rate(r=-0.332, p=0.026; r=-0.702, p=0.011; r =-0.331, p=0.027).(4) No significant correlations between serum IL-35 and total length of spinal cord lesion or AQP-4 antibody levels as determined by FIPA(r=0.035, p=0.818; r=-0.069, p=0.653).3. CSF IL-27 and IL-35 levels were both below the minimum detectable level in patients with NMOSD and in control subjects.Conclusions1. The serum IL-27 and IL-35 levels in NMOSD patients were significantly lower than in HC. It suggests that they may play a role in the clinical pathology of NMOSD and help to predict the activity of disease.2. The serum IL-27 and IL-35 levels were negatively correlated with EDSS, which does not depend on the course of disease. It indicates they may be laboratory biomarks of severity of NMOSD.3. After treated with immunomodulatory medicine, the serum IL-27 and IL-35 levels were changed. Although the difference was not statistically significant, we still think they may play a role in the control of the autoimmunity and inflammation.4. The serum IL-35 levels were negatively correlated with annual relapse rate. It might represent a novel class of therapeutic cytokines for treating NMOSD. |
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