Department of Neurology, University of Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Str. 8, 35033 Marburg, Germany.
Seizure. 2011 Apr;20(3):249-56. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2010.12.005. Epub 2011 Jan 8.
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder affecting approximately 8 out of 1000 people. Its pathophysiology, however, has remained elusive in many regards. Consequently, adequate seizure control is still lacking in about one third of patients. Cytokines are soluble mediators of cell communication that are critical in immune regulation. In recent years, studies have shown that epileptic seizures can induce the production of cytokines, which in turn influence the pathogenesis and course of epilepsies. At the time of this review, the focus is mostly on interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding these cytokines and their potential roles in epilepsy. The focus concentrates on their expression and influence on induced seizures in animal models of epilepsy, as well as findings in human studies. Both proconvulsive and anticonvulsive effects have been reported for each of these molecules. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that cytokines play dichotomous roles through multiple pathways, each of which is dependent on free concentration and available receptors. Furthermore, the immune-mediated leakage in the blood-brain-barrier also plays an important role in epileptogenesis. Nonetheless, these observations demonstrate the multifarious nature of cytokine networks and the complex relationship between the immune system and epilepsy. Future studies are warranted to further clarify the influence of the immune system on epilepsy and vice versa.
癫痫是一种常见的慢性神经系统疾病，大约影响每 1000 人中的 8 人。然而，其病理生理学在许多方面仍然难以捉摸。因此，大约三分之一的患者仍然无法充分控制癫痫发作。细胞因子是细胞通讯的可溶性介质，对于免疫调节至关重要。近年来，研究表明癫痫发作可以诱导细胞因子的产生，而这些细胞因子反过来又影响癫痫的发病机制和病程。在本次综述中，重点主要集中在白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）和肿瘤坏死因子α（TNFα）上。在本文中，我们总结了关于这些细胞因子及其在癫痫中的潜在作用的最新知识。重点集中在它们在癫痫动物模型中的表达和对诱导性癫痫发作的影响，以及在人类研究中的发现。这三种分子都报告了促惊厥和抗惊厥作用。这种现象的一个可能解释是，细胞因子通过多种途径发挥双重作用，每种途径都依赖于游离浓度和可用受体。此外，血脑屏障的免疫介导渗漏在癫痫发生中也起着重要作用。尽管如此，这些观察结果表明细胞因子网络的多样性以及免疫系统和癫痫之间的复杂关系。需要进一步的研究来进一步阐明免疫系统对癫痫的影响及其相互关系。
