These results indicate a significantly higher immunity to small proteoglycans in RA and seronegative spondylarthropathies than in OA suggesting a possible involvement in the pathogenesis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Humoral immune response seems to play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and in the central nervous system (CNS) complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 in the cerebrospinal fluid of female patients with several forms of MS (50 patients), and in female patients with several types of CNS complications in SLE (50 patients). Samples were investigated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Involvement of CNS in SLE patients seems to be characterized with elevated concentrations of all three cytokines in CNS and intrathecal synthesis of IL-6. In MS patients, an intrathecal synthesis of TNF-alpha (relapsing-remitting form) and IL-6 (primary progressive form) were observed. Clinical forms of MS seem to be immunologically heterogeneous. The activation of cytokine network was observed in SLE patients with CNS complications, independent of the pathological process. Similarities between SLE and MS patients with the primary progressive form of the disease were demonstrated concerning the intrathecal synthesis of IL-6. Only MS patients with the relapsing-remitting clinical form showed intrathecal TNF-alpha synthesis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in patients with primary progressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS) and in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) complicated with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Stimulation of sVCAM-1 release by TNF-alpha was demonstrated on endothelial cells of brain vessels. We intended to present the TNF-alpha stimulated elevation of sVCAM-1 in the serum and CSF in any cases of CNS lesion. Fifty patients with several CTDs complicated with neuropsychiatric symptoms and 25 MS patients with primary chronic progressive form of the disease were selected. Determinations of TNF-alpha and sVCAM-1 were performed using ELISA methods. TNF-alpha and sVCAM-1 concentrations were elevated in the CSF of all patients, intrathecal synthesis of sVCAM-1 was demonstrated in MS patients. The changes in the TNF-alpha and sVCAM-1 concentrations were independent from the clinical manifestations, immunoserological changes and quality of neuropsychiatric symptoms of the CTDs. The stimulatory effect of TNF-alpha was more pronounced in the CSF of MS patients.