Association of Serum Levels of Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide and Cytokines during Migraine Attacks

Background: During a migraine attack, trigeminal activation results in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which stimulates the release of inflammatory cytokines playing an important role in migraine. Objective: We analyze the relation between CGRP and cytokines during attacks to explore the possible mechanism of migraine. Materials and Methods: Migraine patients and healthy control were recruited at the Department of Neurology, the Sixth People's Hospital of Fuyang City, between March 2018 and July 2018. The protein levels of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and CGRP were determined from the sera of patients with migraine and control subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was also determined to calculate the correlation between CGRP and inflammatory factors levels. Results: The level of IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CGRP in migraine group were significantly higher than normal group (P < 0.05). The level of CGRP was significantly correlated with IL-1 beta (r = 0.30, P < 0.05) and IL-6 (r = 0.94, P < 0.05), but not significantly correlated with IL-2 (r = -0.047, P = 0.75), IL-10 (r = 0.12, P = 0.43), and TNF-alpha (r = 0.05, P = 0.72). Conclusions: In our study, we found migraine patients had a higher IL-6, IL-1 beta, and TNF level than healthy controls and the level of CGRP was related significantly with the level of IL-1 beta and IL-6. In conclusion, our results suggest that IL-1 beta and IL-6 may be involved in the pathogenesis of migraine attacks and CGRP related with the secretion of cytokines.