engleski

Antiviral cytokine response in neuroinvasive and non-neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection

Data on the immune response to West Nile virus (WNV) are limited. We analyzed the antiviral cytokine response in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of patients with WNV fever and neuroinvasive disease using a multiplex bead- based assay for the simultaneous quantification of13 human cytokines. The panel included cytokines associated with innate and early pro- inflammatory immune responses (TNF- α/IL-6), Th1 (IL-2/IFN-γ), Th2 (IL-4/IL-5/IL- 9/IL-13), Th17 immune response(IL-17A/IL- 17F/IL-21/IL-22) and the key anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Elevated levels of IFN-γwere detected in 71.7% of CSF and 22.7% of serum samples (p= 0.003). Expression of IL-2/IL- 4/TNF-αand Th1 17 cytokines (IL-17A/IL-17F/IL- 21) was detected in the serum but not in the CSF (except one positive CSF sample for IL- 17F/IL-4). While IL-6 levels were markedly higher in the CSF compared to serum (CSF median 2036.71, IQR 213.82– 6190.50 ; serum median 24.48, IQR 11.93–49.81 ; p< 0.001), no difference in the IL-13/IL-9/IL-10/IFN- γ/IL-22 levels in serum/CSF was found. In conclusion, increased concentrations of the key cytokines associated with innate and early acute phase responses(IL-6) and Th1 type immune responses (IFN-γ) were found in the CNS of patients with WNV infection. In contrast, expression of the key T-cell growth factor IL-2, Th17 cytokines, a Th2 cytokine IL-4 and the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-αappear to be concentrated mainly in the periphery.

West Nile virus ; immune response ; neuro-invasive disease ; West Nile fever

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