Abstract
Monocyte chemotactic and phagocytic responses were assessed in two groups of migraine patients (with and without aura) and in two groups of tensiontype headache patients (episodic and chronic). The chemotactic but not the phagocytic response, assessed interictally, is significantly lower in migraine patients (p<0.006) and in episodic tension-type headache patients, though not so significantly in the latter (p<0.05), than in the control individuals. The chemotactic response tends to increase significantly during attack in migraine patients both with and without aura (p<0.008 and p<0.007 respectively). The same was evident for the phagocytic response in both migraine patient groups (p<0.007 and 0.0004). No modifications of monocyte functions were found during attacks neither in episodic nor chronic tension-type headache patients. These findings suggest that one or more mediators of neurogenic inflammation having phagocytic and chemotactic enhancing properties (substance P, prostaglandin E and thromboxane A2 etc.) are implicated in the modification of monocyte function. The demonstration of a defect in monocyte function during the interictal period in migraine patients confirms the results of recent research which evidenced reduced capacity of monocyte to phagocyte and kill microorganisms in the course of migraine.
Sommario
Le risposte chemotattica e fagocitica monocitaria sono state valutate in due gruppi di pazienti con emicrania (con e senza aura) e in due gruppi di pazienti con cefalea tensiva (episodica e cronica). La risposta chemotattica valutata nel periodo intercritico, ma non quella fagocitica, era significativamente ridotta nei pazienti con emicrania rispetto ai soggetti di controllo (p<0.006) ed in minor misura nei pazienti con cefalea tensiva episodica (p<0.05).
La risposta chemotattica si presentava aumentata significativamente durante l'attacco sia nei pazienti con emicrania con aura che in quelli con emicrania senza aura (p<0.008 e p<0.007, rispettivamente). Lo stesso era evidente per la risposta fagocitica in entrambi i gruppi di pazienti affetti da emicrania (p<0.007 e 0.0004).
Non vi erano modificazioni della funzione monocitaria durante l'attacco sia nei soggetti con cefalea tensiva episodica sia in quelli con cefalea tensiva cronica.
Tale riscontro suggerisce l'implicazione nella modificazione della funzione monocitaria di uno o più mediatori che intervengono nella infiammazione neurogenica e che hanno la capacità di potenziare la risposta fagocitica e chemotattica (sostanza P, prostaglandina E and Trombossano A2, etc). La dimostrazione di un difetto della funzione monocitaria durante il periodo intercritico conferma i risultati di recenti ricerche che evidenziano in corso di emicrania una ridotta capacità dei monociti di fagocitare ed uccidere microrganismi.
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Paper presented at the National Congress at Sorrento in 1991 and selected by the Editorial Board of the Journal
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Gallai, V., Sarchielli, P., Trequattrini, A. et al. Monocyte chemotactic and phagocytic responses in migraine and tension-type headache patients. Ital J Neuro Sci 14, 153–164 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335750
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335750