the levels of soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor p55, tnf, neutrophil-derived alpha-defensins and both isoforms of interleukin-8 in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) from children with generalized forms of meningococcal infection

Abstract. Generalized forms of meningococcal infection (GFMI) are usually accompanied with apparent symptoms of systemic inflammatory response (SIRS). Systemic production of inflammatory cytokines, their accumulation in circulating blood and action on various organs and tissues represent a crucial constituent of SIRS. Current study explored the levels of soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) p55, TNF, neutrophil-derived alpha-defensins (HNP) and both isoforms of Interleukin-8 (IL-872 and IL-877) in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with GFMI. The levels of cytokines were estimated using "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunoassays emploing monoclonal antibodies to corresponding cytokines that were previously developed in our laboratory. It was shown that the levels of p55 in the blood correlated with severity of SIRS and GFMI, while the levels of HNP (human neut rophil peptides) in CSF may serve as more sensitive marker of inflammation since HNP levels decreased more rapidly during a recovery of disease comparing to p55. Elevated levels of IL-877 during GFMI correlated with the levels of p55 (correlation coefficient 0,142, р = 0,489), whereas no correlation between the levels of p55 and IL-872 was revealed.