Interleukin-6, vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor beta 1 in canine steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Steroid Responsive Meningitis-Arteritis (SRMA) is a common cause of inflammation of the canine central nervous system (CNS). To investigate if transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are involved in the production of excessive immunoglobulin A (IgA), the induction of acute phase proteins and in the development of a systemic necrotizing vasculitis, characteristic of SRMA, these three signalling proteins were evaluated.

RESULTS:

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples of dogs during the acute phase of SRMA (SRMA) were tested for IL-6, VEGF and TGF- β1. Results were compared to those of dogs affected with SRMA during treatment (SRMA Th) and during relapse (SRMA R), to dogs with other meningoencephalomyelitides (ME), with miscellaneous non-inflammatory diseases of the CNS (CNS-Mix), with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), with systemic inflammatory diseases (Syst. Infl.) and with healthy dogs (Healthy). Concentrations of IL-6 and VEGF in CSF were significantly elevated in the SRMA group compared to the other disease categories (p<0.05). The CSF concentrations of TGF-β1 were increased in SRMA group, but statistically significant differences were found only in comparison with Healthy and CNS-Mix groups. No differences were detected in the serum concentrations of TGF-β1 between the different groups. In untreated SRMA patients, a positive correlation (rSpear = 0.3549; P=0.0337) between concentrations of TGF-β1 and IgA concentration was found in CSF, while concentrations of IL-6 and VEGF in CSF positively correlated with the degree of pleocytosis (rSpear=0.8323; P<0.0001 and rSpear=0.5711; P=0.0166, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results suggest that these three signalling proteins are biomarkers of disease activity in SRMA. VEGF might play an important role in the development of a systemic arteritis. TGF-β1 is considered to be involved in the excessive IgA production, while IL-6 in the pleocytosis. The combined intrathecal increase of TGF-β1 and IL-6 detected in SRMA could possibly force CD4 progenitors to differentiate towards the newly described Th17 lymphocyte subset and enhance the autoimmune response.

• Authors: Arianna Maiolini, Meike Otten, Marion Hewicker-Trautwein, Regina Carlson, Andrea Tipold
• Journal: BMC veterinary research (BMC Vet Res) Vol. 9 Pg. 23 (Feb 04 2013) ISSN: 1746-6148 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23379382 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Acute-Phase Proteins
• Biomarkers
• Immunoglobulin A
• Interleukin-6
• Transforming Growth Factor beta1
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Topics

• Acute-Phase Proteins (physiology)
• Animals
• Arteritis (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiopathology, veterinary)
• Biomarkers (blood, cerebrospinal fluid)
• Dog Diseases (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiopathology)
• Dogs
• Immunoglobulin A (blood)
• Inflammation (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiopathology, veterinary)
• Interleukin-6 (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiology)
• Meningitis (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiopathology, veterinary)
• Transforming Growth Factor beta1 (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiology)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, physiology)