High levels of interleukin 10 and tumor necrosis factor α in cerebrospinal fluid during the onset of bacterial meningitis

Since interleukin-10 (IL-10) controls the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and this latter cytokine has a deleterious effect on neuronal cells, we determined the levels of both cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with bacterial meningitis. High levels of IL-10 (1,164 pg/mL) and TNF-α (3,158 pg/mL) were detected in CSF from10 children with meningitis, but these cytokineswere not detectable in CSF from 12 controls. In vitro neutralization of IL-10 demonstrated that endogenously formed IL-10 is important for limiting the production of TNF-α by leukocytes. We assume that IL-10 in CSF will decrease the inflammatory reaction associated with meningitisand will result in the development of fewer sequelae because of its inhibitory effect on the production of TNF-α.