Increased levels of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin PGE2 in CSF from ALS patients

Abstract

Levels of the potent pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are elevated in postmortem spinal cords from patients with ALS, and inhibition of a key PGE2-synthesizing enzyme, cylcooxygenase-2, is neuroprotective in an in vitro model of ALS. The authors report that 82% of the patients with ALS studied had 2 to 10 times higher PGE2 levels in CSF compared with normal control subjects. That affected areas of the CNS are inflamed in ALS supports this. CSF PGE2 measurement may be useful in monitoring treatment for ALS.