Intrathecal synthesis of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: further evidence for microglial activation in neurodegeneration.

Autopsy studies and animal experiments suggest that microglial inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Monocyte-chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) might play an important role in microglial recruitment. We studied MCP-1 levels in sera and cerebrospinal fluid of 29 ALS patients and compared the results with 11 control patients with tension headache. The MCP-1 level was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). A significant increase in cerebrospinal fluid MCP-1 level but not serum level was seen in the patients with ALS compared to the control subjects. These results suggest that cerebrospinal fluid MCP-1 activity may be a sensitive marker for neuroinflammation in ALS useful for monitoring treatment trials in ALS.