Expression of NO and TNF in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Patients with Brain Cerebral Cysticercosis

Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 2004 ,30(4): 256
Wang Xiaojuan, Wu Like, Li Chunyan

Abstract: The objective is to examine the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with cerebral cysticercosis in different stages and to investigate their effects on the disease. Forty-nine patients with solitary cysticercus in cerebral parenchyma and 20 controls were enrolled in the study. According to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results, patients were divided into four stages of the disease. The levels of NO, TNF, CSF were tested. Results in the first stage were NO levels decreased while the level of TNF 2 increased. In the second and third stages, the levels of both NO and TNF 2 were elevated, and then went back to the normal levels in the last stage. There was a positive correlation between the level of and take NO and TNF 2 a.

Conclusions: Our data suggested NO and TNF 2 a may be parasiticidal in cerebral cysticercosis partly due to the equilibrium between the immune regulation and anti cysticercus effects.

Keywords: cerebral cysticercosis, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor