Vitamin B12 Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin B12, including details on cyanocobalamin, benefits, supplements, deficiency, side-effects, sources.

High tumor necrosis factor-alpha [corrected] levels in cerebrospinal fluid of cobalamin-deficient patients.

Scalabrino G, Carpo M, Bamonti F, Pizzinelli S, D'Avino C, Bresolin N, Meucci G, Martinelli V, Comi GC, Peracchi M

Institute of General Pathology, University of Milan, Italy. giuseppe.scalabrino@unimi.it

We studied 14 patients with neurological manifestations of subacute combined degeneration (SCD) and 40 control patients not cobalamin (Cbl)-deficient. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of Cbl deficiency (Cbl and total homocysteine [tHCYS] levels) and the CSF levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were measured. Significantly higher levels of tHCYS and TNF-alpha, and significantly lower levels of Cbl and EGF were found in the SCD patients. In human CSF, as in human serum and the rat central nervous system, decreased Cbl concentrations are concomitant with an increase in TNF-alpha and a decrease in EGF-levels. Ann Neurol 2004;56:886-890.

Published 30 November 2004 in Ann Neurol, 56(6): 886-90.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Vitamin B12 Research Today. All Rights Reserved.