Proinflammatory protein signatures in cryptogenic and large artery atherosclerosis stroke.

The protein signature separating cases from controls was different from the signature separating cryptogenic stroke with low risk of atherosclerosis from those with high risk and from LAA stroke. This suggests that increased RANTES, IL-4, and IFN-γ in stroke may not be primarily related to atherosclerosis, whereas increased eotaxin and MCP-1 in cryptogenic stroke may be markers of occult atherosclerosis as the underlying cause.