Quantification of Fas protein in CSF of patients with neurocysticercosis

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic disease that affects the central nervous system. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between neuronal death evaluated by the quantification of Fas apoptotic factor and the different evolutive forms of neurocysticercosis accompanied or not by epileptic seizures. METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid samples from 36 patients with a diagnosis of neurocysticercosis divided into the following groups: active cystic form (n=15), 9 patients with and 6 without seizures, and calcified form (=21), 9 with and 12 without seizures. Fourteen patients comprised the control group. Fas protein concentrations were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Only the group of patients with calcified cysts without seizures presented cerebrospinal fluid levels of Fas similar to those of the control group. Higher levels were observed for the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present finding suggests high cerebrospinal fluid levels of soluble Fas protein, except for patients with calcified cysts without seizures. Significant differences were observed for the group with calcified cysts and seizures, suggesting greater neuronal damage in these patients. Replacement of the term inactive cyst with reactive inactive cyst is suggested.

Pediatric neurocysticercosis: current challenges and future prospects

“…Biopsy of subcutaneous nodules and radiographs of skeletal muscles to detect calcified cysts (cigar-shaped calcification) may provide corroborative evidence in some cases. Quantification of Fas and amino acid neurotransmitters in CSF of patients with NCC did not reveal any specific pattern; 71 , 72 these tests have a limited utility.…”

Geographic Distribution of the Prevalence of Neurocysticercosis in the Municipality of Piedade, São Paulo

“…The false notion evidenced in the population studied, similar to that observed in the world population, that the calcified form of the parasite does not cause health damage in affected individuals must be urgently revised and corrected [3, 4, 8, 9, 11 -14]. According to Camargo et al [3,4,15,[18][19][20], the expressions cerebral calcification, inactive cyst, dead parasite, cysticercotic calcification and dead cysticercus, which are all very common in popular language, must be revised and adequately explained to the population and health professionals who are unaware of the disease. In the area studied, other asymptomatic individuals may be contaminated with different forms of the parasite, which can lodge in the CNS and persist for many years without causing symptoms [1,2,8,9,16,17].…”

Neurocysticercosis in Epileptic Patients Seen in the Emergency Department of the Municipality of Piedade, Sao Paulo

“…The clinical findings are variable and the polymorphic manifestations depend not only on the location, but also on the number of parasites, the developmental stage of the cysticerci (viable or calcified), and host characteristics. The cerebral calcifications observed in the present study represent a serious health problem since they can cause irreversible changes in the patient and may require treatment and medication use throughout life [7,8]. The diagnosis of NCC is made by a combination of immunological methods and neuroimaging techniques [9][10][11][12].…”