pSTAT1, pSTAT3, and T-bet as markers of disease activity in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is considered an auto-immune disorder. We evaluated expression of pSTAT1, T-bet, and pSTAT3 in circulating T-cells, B-cells, and monocytes and spontaneous production of interleukin-17 (IL17), interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), and interleukin-10 (IL10) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 14 active CIDP patients compared with 6 patients with long-lasting remission and 20 controls. Active disease patients showed higher pSTAT1, T-bet, and pSTAT3 in CD4(+) T-cells than controls (p < 0.001, p = 0.0002, p = 0.0097, respectively) and remission patients (p < 0.001, p = 0.0036, p = 0.0008, respectively). pSTAT1, T-bet, and pSTAT3 were also higher in monocytes from active CIDP patients than controls (p = 0.0011, p = 0.0041, p = 0.0413, respectively) and remission patients (p = 0.0073, p = 0.0274, p = 0.0251, respectively). Moreover in CD8(+) T-cells, pSTAT3 expression was higher in active CIDP patients than in remission patients (p = 0.0345) and in controls (p = 0.0023). IL17 and IFN gamma production were significantly higher in active CIDP patients than in controls (p < 0.0395, p = 0.0010, respectively); IFN gamma levels were higher also in remission CIDP patients (p = 0.0073). IL10 levels were higher in active phase patients than in controls (p = 0.0334). Our data suggest that pSTAT1, T-bet, and pSTAT3 can be considered putative markers of disease activity and potential targets for specific therapies.