leukotriene-b4 and Encephalitis--Viral

Previous studies on macrophages have shown that Toxoplasma gondii alters the metabolism of arachidonic acid with subsequent inability to generate leukotrienes (LT)s. LTB4 and LTC4 were analyzed in cerebrospinal fluid of 3 groups of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1-seropositive patients: with toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) (n=10), with herpes simplex encephalitis (n=5), and without encephalitis (n=10) and in HIV-1-seronegative controls without inflammatory diseases (n=30) by specific immunoassays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In HIV-1-seropositive subjects with TE, LTB4 and LTC4 were below the detection limit (<5.0 pg/mL) and thus significantly decreased (P<.01) compared with HIV-1-seropositive patients with herpes simplex encephalitis (LTB4, 148.5+/-47.6 pg/mL; LTC4, 116.4+/-36.9 pg/mL) and in those without encephalitis (LTB4, 46.1+/-16.8 pg/mL; LTC4, 48.3+/-21.3 pg/mL), and in controls (LTB4, 43.6+/-21.2; LTC4, 45.2+/-18.9 pg/mL). These results point to an essential role of inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase with subsequent failure of LT release as an important mechanism for the survival of T. gondii in vivo.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Encephalitis; Encephalitis, Viral; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Herpes Simplex; HIV Seropositivity; HIV-1; Humans; Leukotriene B4; Leukotriene C4; Middle Aged; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral

Concentrations of immunoreactive leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in the cerebrospinal fluid from 18 patients with aseptic meningitis, including 2 patients with encephalitis and 4 patients with febrile seizures, were measured by a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay; these results were compared with those from control subjects. The concentrations of both LTC4 and LTB4 were elevated significantly in patients with meningitis (LTC4: 115.6 +/- 47.7 pg/ml; LTB4: 1,603.0 +/- 273.5 pg/ml; n = 18) compared to controls (LTC4: 83.2 +/- 21.6 pg/ml; LTB4: 1,219.3 +/- 161.5 pg/ml; n = 12; P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). However, there was no significant increase in LT levels in patients with febrile seizures. These findings suggest that LTs may play an important role in the inflammatory response induced by viral infections of the central nervous system.

Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Encephalitis, Viral; Humans; Infant; Leukotriene B4; Leukotriene C4; Meningitis, Aseptic; Radioimmunoassay; Seizures, Febrile; Sensitivity and Specificity