Soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors conserve TNF bioactivity in meningitis patient spinal fluid

J Infect Dis. 1996 Sep;174(3):557-63. doi: 10.1093/infdis/174.3.557.

Abstract

The content of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antigen and the bioactivity of soluble TNF receptor type II (sTNF-RII) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 29 patients with meningeal symptoms and fever were examined. Immunoreactive TNF was demonstrated in CSF from 4 of 7 patients with bacterial meningitis. In 3 of 8 patients with aseptic meningitis, CSF also contained TNF, but TNF bioactivity was confined to samples from patients with bacterial meningitis. Bioactive TNF was exclusively in high-performance liquid chromatography fractions containing 30- to 60-kDa proteins. Lipopolysaccharide induced down-regulation, possibly after shedding of granulocyte surface membrane TNF-RII. Consistently, there was a statistically significant correlation between sTNF-RII and CSF leukocyte counts. Bioactive TNF was found only in CSF containing >1 ng of sTNF-RII/mL; samples without TNF bioactivity contained less sTNF-RII. Thus, a stabilizing effect of sTNF-RII on the oligomeric cytokine in vivo is plausible.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / cytology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Down-Regulation
  • Granulocytes / immunology
  • Humans
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Lipopolysaccharides / metabolism
  • Meningitis, Aseptic / blood
  • Meningitis, Aseptic / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / blood
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / immunology
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / physiology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / physiology

Substances

  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha