Abstract
The clinical manifestations of neurocysticercosis (NC) are varied and depend on the number and location of cysts, as well as on the host immune response. Symptoms usually occur in NC when cysticerci enter a degenerative course associated with an inflammatory response. The expression of brain damage markers may be expected to increase during this phase. S100B is a calcium-binding protein produced and released predominantly by astrocytes that has been used as a marker of reactive gliosis and astrocytic death in many pathological conditions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the levels of S100B in patients in different phases of NC evolution. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum S100B concentrations were measured in 25 patients with NC: 14 patients with degenerative cysts (D), 8 patients with viable cysts (V) and 3 patients with inactive cysts. All NC patients, except 1, had five or less cysts. In most of them, symptoms had been present for at least 1 month before sample collection. Samples from 8 normal controls (C) were also assayed. The albumin quotient was used to estimate the blood-brain barrier permeability. There were no significant differences in serum (P = 0.5) or cerebrospinal fluid (P = 0.91) S100B levels among the V, D, and C groups. These findings suggest that parenchymal changes associated with a relatively small number of degenerating cysts probably have a negligible impact on glial tissue.
Highlights
Over the last decades, several neurobiochemical markers have been proposed as monitoring tools for brain damage associated with neurological disorders
S100B concentrations did not differ between males and females
There were no significant differences in S100B levels between NC patients with ICH (N = 6; CSF S100B (cS100B): median = 2.21 ng/mL, IQ: 2.06/2.30; serum S100B (sS100B): median = 0.07 ng/mL, IQ: 0.03/0.14) and without ICH (N = 19; cS100B: median = 2.66 ng/mL, IQ: 1.80/ 3.71; sS100B: median = 0.05 ng/mL, IQ: 0.02/0.16)
Summary
Several neurobiochemical markers have been proposed as monitoring tools for brain damage associated with neurological disorders. Among them, those most extensively studied are neuron-specific enolase (NSE), creatine kinase isoenzyme BB, 14-3-3 protein, myelin basic protein, tau protein, polyamines, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and S100B protein [1,2,3,4,5]. Protein S100 is a calcium-binding dimeric protein composed of two immunologically distinct subunits, α and ß. Its ßß dimeric form, which predominates in the central nervous system (CNS), is referred to as S100B [6]. Depending on its extracellular concentration, S100B can play a trophic or toxic role in both neurons and glial cells [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call