Meningoencephalitic African trypanosomiasis: Brain IL-10 and IL-6 are associated with protection from neuro-inflammatory pathology

Sternberg, J.M., Rodgers, J. , Bradley, B., MacLean, L., Murray, M. and Kennedy, P.G.E. (2005) Meningoencephalitic African trypanosomiasis: Brain IL-10 and IL-6 are associated with protection from neuro-inflammatory pathology. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 167(1-2), pp. 81-89. (doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2005.06.017)

Abstract

The relationship of neuropathology to CNS inflammatory and counter-inflammatory cytokine production in African trypanosome-infected mice was studied using an infection model with a defined disease progression. The initial phase of CNS infection by trypanosomes, where only mild neuropathology is evident, was characterised by high levels of IL-10 and IL-6. In the later phase of CNS infection and in a post-drug treatment model, moderate to severe neuropathology was associated with high levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. The relationship of these cytokines to neuropathological grade suggests that IL-10 and IL-6 protect the CNS from inflammatory pathology when parasites first enter the brain and the data reconcile previously contradictory clinical measurements of CSF cytokines in meningoencephalitic patients with post-mortem histopathology observations.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kennedy, Professor Peter and Bradley, Mrs Barbara and Murray, Professor Maxwell and Rodgers, Dr Jean
• Authors: Sternberg, J.M., Rodgers, J., Bradley, B., MacLean, L., Murray, M., and Kennedy, P.G.E.
• Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Journal of Neuroimmunology
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0165-5728
• ISSN (Online): 1872-8421