The Application of TNF-a Post-receptors and Their Effects on the Treatment of Cerebral Cysticercosis

Basic Clinical Medicine March 2005 Vol. 25 No.3

Article ID: 100126325 (2005) 0320265203

Wu Like, Wang Xiaojuan, Wang Minwei, Yu Huafeng

Abstract: The objective was to investigate the regularity of changes in the TNF a, NO, MDA, SOD and CSF and their mechanisms in the different stages of patients with cerebral cysticercosis. Data was collected from 76 patient cases of solitary parenchymal neurocysticercosis with clear diagnoses and clinical stages through the use of MRI examinations, with the control group of 20 cases, we used the ELISA method to test the TNF a levels in the CSF, and we used the spectrophotometer to measure the NO, MDA and SOD levels in the CSF respectively.

Results: During the research, we found that in stage 1 patients, the TNF a and MDA levels increased prior to the NO levels, while the NO levels decreased in stages 2 and 3 (the entire degeneration & death stage). Except for the SOD, the other three kinds of cytokine levels all increased. In stage 4 patients, only the MDA levels increased noticeably, while the other three indexes returned to normal levels. There is a high degree of positive correlation between the TNF a, NO and the MDA levels and all of them had a negative correlation with the SOD levels. The SOD levels were nearly normal in the stage 4 patients, and in the other three stages, were substantially decreased.

Conclusion: In those patients suffering from solitary parenchymal neurocysticercosis, the after effects of TNF-a post-receptors (free radicals of nitroxide, oxygen free radicals), possibly played an important role in the killing of cysticercus, there is a dynamic equilibrium between the immune adjusting effects and the mechanisms of killing cysticercus, involved in infection control.

Keywords: TNF; NO; MDA; SOD