CCL-2 and VEGF in ALS
Elevated levels of CCL-2 and VEGF in circulating lymphocytes of Indian sporadic ALS patients
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by degeneration of motor neurons. We evaluated the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (CCL-2) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of ALS patients and age matched controls of North Indian origin by ELISA.
The ALS patients were included on the basis of El Escorial criteria after obtaining written informed consent. All the patients were of sporadic origin. The levels of VEGF and CCL2 were then normalized to total protein. We also clinically correlated these results as determined by ALSFRS score. The mean age of ALS patients was 46 ±12, out of which 15 were males and 5 were females. There were 17 cases of limb variant and 3 cases of bulbar onset. Majority of the cases were characterized by late onset. The results showed that CSF levels of CCL2 and serum levels of both VEGF and CCL-2 were significantly upregulated as compared to control subjects (p<0.05).The serum CCL2 and VEGF levels increased with severity of disease. The results suggest that increase in Ccl2 and VEGF may be potential markers for assessment of disease burden and for possible monitoring the effects of treatment. The evidence for intrathecal synthesis of CCL-2 suggests the role of microglial activation as previously reported. Although VEGF dysregulation is believed to compromise neuroprotection and predispose the mouse model of ALS and human to ALS, it is possible that the elevated VEGF levels in late onset could be a due to the compensatory response against glutamate mediated toxicity. << Back to research area