CYTOKINE PRODUCTION IN BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM EPILEPTIC PATIENTS

Although convulsive disorders have been associated with immune abnormalities, little is known about cytokine production in epileptic patients. We evaluated the concentrations of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secreted by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from epileptic patients. The PBMC collected from epileptic patients, as compared with those of a control group, showed greater production of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 in response to in vitro stimulation with mitogen, There was no statistical difference among patients treated with different antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Significantly greater IL-2 production was observed in PBMC from carbamazepine (CBZ)-treated patients as compared with both the control group or with valproate and phenobarbital (PB)-treated patients.