Objective: We aimed to investigate levels of cytokines/chemokines and immune checkpoint molecules in patients with anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) encephalitis.
Methods: The study recruited 12 patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis and six non-inflammatory controls from the Qilu Hospital of Shandong University treated between January 2019 and December 2020. Serum levels of 30 cytokines/chemokines and 10 checkpoint molecules were measured in participants of both the groups.
Results: In contrast to those in the control group, 24 cytokines/chemokines and 5 immune checkpoint molecules were differentially expressed in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis, with 14 cytokines being upregulated and 10 being downregulated. There were 1033 enriched biological processes and 61 enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathways.
Conclusion: A wide range of cytokines/chemokines and immune checkpoint molecules are implicated in immune regulation in anti-LGI1 encephalitis, indicating that they may serve as important targets in the development and treatment of the disease.
Keywords: Autoimmune encephalitis; Cytokines; Immune checkpoint molecules; Immune regulation; Inflammation.
© 2022. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.