Adel S. Abd El-Ghaffar¹, Magdy A. Aidaros¹, Alaa A.M. Abdel Ghani¹,

Ashraf M. Zaitoun¹, El-Sayed M. Abd El-Ghany², Mahmoud M. Badr².

Departments of Neurology¹, Zagazig University; Microbiology & Immunology², Benha University; Egypt

Background: MS is supposedly a T-Cell mediated autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). Cytokines and other molecules involved in the regulation of apoptosis are thought to be of importance for the pathogenesis of MS. 1L-18 can direct auto-reactive and promote auto destruction in the CNS. Objective: To estimate the serum levels of 1L-18 in different MS clinical subtypes and to access their correlation to the disease activity, clinical grade of disability and lesion load of cerebral MRI. Methods: The study included 30 patients with definite MS: Ten remitting in remission (group I), ten relapsing – remitting in relapse (group II) and ten secondary progressive (group III) patients and ten, sex and age matched, healthy control subjects. The patients were evaluated clinically using expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and fatigue descriptive scale (FDS) and MRI brain – Serum levels of 1L – 18 were estimated for patients and controls. Results: The mean serum levels of 1L-18 were significantly elevated in all MS groups compared to control group. Group III patients had significantly higher serum 1L-18 levels than groups II and I. 1L-18 serum levels were significantly higher in group II compared to group I patient. Significant positive correlation was detected between mean serum levels of 1L-18 and mean EDSS and lesion load of cerebral MRI. Conclusion: Our results suggest involvement of 1L-18 immunopathogenesis of MS especially in active stages of the disease which correlated with degree of clinical disability and lesion load of cerebral MRI. So new therapeutic strategies of immunomodulator medications may be useful in MS. [Egypt J Neurol Psychiat Neurosurg.  2012; 49(1): 39-44]

 Key Words: Clinical, Immunological, Radiological, Multiple sclerosis.