Relation between TNFα and S100B in patients with herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia

One of the most important components in the pathogenesis of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia is presented by disturbed neuroimmune interaction, characterized by development of chronic inflammation in the nervous system structures. Normally existing interaction between immune and nervous systems is altered and results in development of pathological system. Altered level of TNFα and S100B proteins may characterize the features of neuroimmune inflammation during herpes zoster infection. Objective: to assess a relationship between TNFα and S100B level in patients with herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia. We examined 106 patients with herpes zoster within the framework of our study. Based on assessing intensity of pain syndrome and its three-month follow-up data after primary treatment patients were subdivided into 3 main groups: group I – weak or moderate pain syndrome; group II – severe pain syndrome; group III – postherpetic neuralgia. The control group contained 30 age-matched apparently healthy volunteers. Venous blood sampling was performed twice: on day 1 and day 10 after disease onset. Biological material in control group was collected once. Level of blood serum TNFα and S100B was measured by using solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) on analyzer “Multiscan”. While assessing TNFα level in all three main groups, its lowered level was detected (p < 0.05) on day 1, without finding inter-group differences. On day 10 after disease onset, level of TNFα did not differ from the control values found in groups I and II, while in group III it remained lowered, not being significantly differed from those found on day 1. Level of S100B in the blood serum in patients vs. control group was equivalently increased (p < 0.05), showing no inter-group differences. On day 10, the level of S100B in the blood serum from patients of groups I and II tended to stabilize, by decreasing almost by 2-fold to reference intervals in group I, without reaching control values, in group II. Patients from group III were found to have serum level of S100B remained elevated compared to control group without dynamic changes between 1 and 10 days. A correlation analysis for TNFα and s100b protein revealed significant feedback relation between them (p < 0.05) in group III.