Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Neuroimmunomodulation. 2014;21(1):8-12. doi: 10.1159/000354764. Epub 2013 Sep 26.
A long-lasting neuroinflammatory cascade may lead to the progression of brain damage, favoring neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but the potential mechanisms underlying this sequence of events remain elusive. Here we aimed to evaluate the impact of interleukin (IL)-18, a proinflammatory cytokine elevated in post-acute head injury and associated with neurodegeneration, on the long-term outcome of patients with chronic TBI.
The serum content of IL-18 was evaluated in 16 patients with severe TBI, during their rehabilitation phase, and in a matched group of 16 healthy controls. The disability of the enrolled patients was evaluated by means of the Glasgow Outcome Scale, Levels of Cognitive Functioning, and the Disability Rating Scale.
The circulating levels of IL-18 were significantly increased in chronic TBI patients, as compared to healthy subjects, and correlated with the patients' cognitive impairment and disability severity.
IL-18 may contribute to the long-term outcome and neurodegeneration in TBI patients. Even though further studies are needed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of IL-18 on TBI progression and its associated drop in cognitive function, a possible role of this cytokine as a therapeutic target in TBI can be envisaged.
持久的神经炎症级联反应可能导致脑损伤进展，有利于创伤性脑损伤（TBI）患者的神经退行性变和认知障碍，但潜在的机制仍然难以捉摸。在这里，我们旨在评估白细胞介素（IL）-18对慢性 TBI 患者长期预后的影响，IL-18 是一种在急性后期头部损伤中升高的促炎细胞因子，与神经退行性变有关。
在康复阶段评估了 16 名严重 TBI 患者和 16 名健康对照组的血清 IL-18 含量。采用格拉斯哥结局量表、认知功能水平和残疾评定量表评估入组患者的残疾程度。
与健康受试者相比，慢性 TBI 患者的循环 IL-18 水平显著升高，且与患者的认知障碍和残疾严重程度相关。
IL-18 可能导致 TBI 患者的长期预后和神经退行性变。尽管需要进一步研究以了解 IL-18 对 TBI 进展及其相关认知功能下降的作用的分子机制，但可以设想这种细胞因子作为 TBI 的治疗靶点的可能作用。
