Steroid therapy altered serum levels of CCL2 and CCL5 chemokines in multiple sclerosis patients during relapse

Chemokines are involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of steroid therapy on the levels of CCL2 and CCL5 chemokines. The study encompassed 30 patients with clinically definite relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who were treated with methylprednisolone due to the relapse of the disease. The control groups consisted of 20 patients during the stable stage of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and of 15 patients with noninflammatory diseases of the nervous system. Both chemokines were markedly expresssed in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During relapse, the levels of both chemokines differed significantly from the levels measured in both control groups. After the methylprednisolone treatment, the chemokine levels changed significantly: the levels of CCL2 increased, whilst the levels of CCL5 decreased. These alterations did not correlate with the clinical state of the patients or with the therapeutic effect of the treatment and indicated that the inflammatory reaction accompanying the relapse was receding. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.