Comparative cytokine profiling in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin.

Authors

Aurelia Gasser, Thomas Démoulins, Veronika M Stein

Published in

Journal of veterinary internal medicine. Volume 40. Issue 6. Nov 02, 2026.

Abstract

Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a common inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) disease in dogs with unclear etiology, complicating diagnosis.
Dogs with MUO exhibit distinct cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compared to other CNS diseases and controls.
The study included 23 dogs diagnosed with MUO based on clinical signs, supportive CSF, and imaging findings. For comparison, 110 dogs were included, comprising dogs with CNS disorders, neurological diseases not involving the CNS (non-CNS), and orthopedic diseases.
In this prospective cross-sectional observational study, 6 cytokines (interferon-γ [IFN-γ], TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-15) were measured in paired CSF and serum samples using multiplex bead-based immunoassays. Primary outcome was the association between CSF cytokine concentrations and MUO, assessed by logistic regression.
Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin showed significantly higher CSF concentrations compared to idiopathic epilepsy, intracranial neoplasia, intervertebral disc herniation, and non-CNS diseases in IFN-γ (MUO: median 108.4 pg/mL, IQR 25.8 vs comparison group: 10.5 pg/mL, IQR 0.0; β-coefficient 0.039, 95% CI, 0.021-0.057, P < .001) and interleukin (IL)-10 (MUO: 171.1 pg/mL, IQR 37.0 vs 8.5 pg/mL, IQR 0.0; β-coefficient 0.021, 95% CI, 0.011-0.030, P < .001). Moreover, TNF-α (β-coefficient 0.062, 95% CI, 0.023-0.102, P < .01), IL-15 (β-coefficient 0.080, 95% CI, 0.012-0.148, P < .05) and IL-2 (β-coefficient 0.055, 95% CI, 0.005-0.104, P < .05) concentrations were also elevated in MUO versus comparison group.
Cerebrospinal fluid cytokine profiling identifies a characteristic intrathecal immune signature in MUO, advancing the understanding of its immunopathogenesis.

PMID:
43008071
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 11 Nov 2026.

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