Serum level of IL-1β in patients with inflammatory demyelinating disease: Marked upregulation in the early acute phase of MOG antibody associated disease (MOGAD)

Background: To evaluate the serum cytokine profiles in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoproteins antibody associated disease (MOGAD), compared to those in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (APQ4-IgG+ NMOSD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and other inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDDs). Methods: The level of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ in sera from 21 patients with MOGAD, 32 APQ4-IgG+ NMOSD, 24 MS, and 16 other IDDs were assessed. Results: In MOGAD patients, the levels of IL-1β and IL-12p70 were elevated compared to APQ4-IgG+ NMOSD. The level of IL-10 and the ratio of T helper (Th)-1/Th2-related cytokines were elevated in MOGAD patients compared to MS or other IDDs. In an intragroup analysis, the IL-1β was increased in acute stage of MOGAD, APQ4-IgG+ NMOSD, and also MS compared to their chronic stage counterpart. It was inversely correlated with time from acute attack to sampling in MOGAD (p < 0.001) and AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD (p = 0.001), but not in MS. Moreover, the IL-1β was most markedly upregulated in MOGAD sera sampled within 1 week from acute attack compared to those sampled after (p = 0.002). Conclusions: The serum IL-1β can be elevated in the acute stage of patients with diverse IDDs including, MOGAD, APQ4-IgG+ NMOSD, and MS. This upregulation of serum IL-1β can be most markedly observed in the early acute stage of MOGAD patients. Further studies seem to be needed to determine the proper mechanism for the upregulation of serum IL-1β and also the role of IL-1β inhibition especially at the early acute stage of MOGAD.