Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukins-12(p40), 6, and 10 levels in cerebrospinal fluid and outcome prediction in Ossimi sheep with encephalitic listeriosis

Cytokine. 2015 Jun;73(2):283-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2015.03.004. Epub 2015 Mar 26.

Abstract

Encephalitic listeriosis in sheep is a life-threatening disease. However, little is known about the cytokine response and their predictive value in this disease. The aim of present study was to assess the prognostic significance of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-12(p40) (IL-12 p40), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in sheep with encephalitic listeriosis. Fifty-nine ewes in 14 flocks were diagnosed clinically as having listeriosis. CSF was collected and subjected to bacteriological examination and estimation of selected cytokines. Twenty-eight ewes were confirmed to be infected with Listeria monocytogenes. Based on antimicrobial sensitivity test, sheep were treated and the outcome was recorded as survivors (n=10) and non-survivors (n=18). Cutoff points for CSF cytokines were determined by Receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC). Association between levels of CSF cytokines and outcome of listeriosis was assessed by logistic regression. TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12(p40) levels as well as TNF-α/IL-10 ratio were significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors (p=0.002, 0.0021, 0.0033, and 0.001, respectively). However, IL-10 level was significantly lower in non-survivors than survivors (p=0.0058). ROC analysis revealed that IL-6 and TNF-α/IL-10 ratio had the highest AUC values (0.98, 0.984, respectively). Final multivariate logistic regression model showed that TNF-α/IL-10 ratio was the only variable that has predictive value for mortality in diseased sheep (p: 0.001; OR: 7.2; 95% CI: 5.7-9.8). TNF-α showed a positive correlation with IL-12β (r=0.917) and IL-6 (r=0.965). IL-12 (p40) showed also a positive correlation with IL-6 (r=0.906). However, IL-10 showed a negative correlation with TNF-α (r=-0.915), IL-12(p40) (r=-0.790), and IL-6 (r=-0.902). In conclusion, TNF-α/IL-10 ratio may provide predictive information about outcome of encephalitic listeriosis in sheep.

Keywords: CSF; Cytokines; Listeriosis; Ossimi sheep; Prognosis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Encephalitis / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Encephalitis / complications
  • Interleukin-10 / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Interleukin-6 / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Listeriosis / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Listeriosis / complications
  • Logistic Models
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • ROC Curve
  • Sheep
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / cerebrospinal fluid*

Substances

  • Interleukin-12 Subunit p40
  • Interleukin-6
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-10