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The goal of this study was to analyse, in relation to electrophysiological results, the distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations and the level of cytokines in patients with the typical form of chronic demyelinating inflammatory polyneuropathy (CIDP) before immunoglobulin treatment. The study group consisted of 60 patients (52 men, eight women), with a mean age 64.8 ± 11.2, who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for the typical variant of CIDP, with (23 patients) and without (37 patients) diabetes mellitus. We analysed the results of the neurophysiological tests, and correlated them with the leukocyte subpopulations, and cytokine levels. In CIDP patients, IL-6, IL-2, IL-4 and TNF-α levels were significantly increased compared to the control group. Fifty patients had decreased levels of T CD8+ lymphocytes, and 51 patients had increased levels of CD4+ lymphocytes. An increased CD4+/CD8+ ratio was also found. Negative correlations were observed mainly between compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes and cytokine levels. The study enabled the conclusion that electrophysiological parameters in CIDP patients are closely related to the autoimmune process, but without any clear differences between patients with and without diabetes mellitus. Correlations found in the study indicated that axonal degeneration might be independent of the demyelinating process and might be caused by direct inflammatory infiltration.

Summary Purpose To describe the relationship between the severity of lung damage and cytokine levels in sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), serum. Method Eight severe patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were admitted and their cytokines and chest computed tomography (CT) were analyzed. Results Compared with in serum, IL-6 and TNF-α in sputum and in BALF show more directly reflect the severity of COVID-19 critical patients. The gradient ratio of IL-6 levels may predict the prognosis of severe patients. Conclusion Cytokine levels in the sputum may be more helpful for indicating lung damage. Local intervention through the respiratory tract is expected to benefit patients with severe COVID-19.

There is a growing body of evidence linking rosacea to various systemic disorders, even though data regarding the association between rosacea and cardiovascular diseases are presently controversial. We sought to investigate the potential association of rosacea with subclinical atherosclerosis and serum proinflammatory/proatherogenic markers. This study included 44 patients with rosacea and 44 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Patients with traditional cardiovascular risk factors or a history of cardiovascular events were excluded. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, including serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were assessed. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaques were measured by carotid ultrasonography. Serum IL-1 beta (P < .001), IL-6 (P < .001), TNF-alpha (P < .001), and hs-CRP (P < .001) levels were significantly higher in the patient group compared with the control group. Mean CIMT values did not differ significantly between the patient group and control group (P > .05). Patients with moderate to severe rosacea had a significantly greater CIMT than those with mild rosacea (P = .047). Rosacea patients with eye involvement had a significantly greater CIMT than those without eye involvement (P = .008). There was no significant correlation between CIMT values and inflammation parameters. As conclusion, in the absence of other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, rosacea does not seem to affect mean CIMT value. However, specific subgroups such as patients with moderate to severe disease or with eye involvement are associated with increased subclinical atherosclerosis and may require additional attention for cardiovascular disease prevention.

HD patients have impaired adaptive immune responses, which might depend on the primary cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We analyzed percentages of T cells subpopulations with the expression of CD69, CD25, CD95, and HLA-DR antigens in HD patients to determine the status of T cell activation. Also, we determined serum levels of cytokines: IL12p70, TNF, IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8. HD patients had increased percentages of CD4+CD25+, CD4+CD69+, CD4+HLA-DR+, CD8+CD69+, and CD8+HLA-DR+ cells compared to healthy people. Also, their IL-6 and IL-8 serum levels were higher. Changes in T cell subpopulations were seen in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) or ischemic nephropathy (IN) but not with glomerulonephritis (GN). HD patients dialyzed for more than six months had a lower percentage of CD4+CD69+, CD8+HLA-DR+, CD8+CD95+ cells, higher IL-12p70 levels, and lower IL-8 levels. Our results show that HD treatment and CKD cause influence T cell activation status.

The typical indication of radon therapy is rheumatoid arthritis. Although there are several reports that radon therapy has regulation effects on Th17 cells, there has been no study reporting that radon inhalation affects the immune balance among Th1, Th2, and Th17. The purpose of this study is to examine the cytokine changes after radon inhalation. BALB/c mice inhaled radon at 2,000 Bq/m3 for 2 or 4 weeks. SKG/Jcl mice inhaled radon at 2,000 Bq/m3 for 4 weeks after zymosan administration. The results showed that radon inhalation for 4 weeks activated the immune response of Th1, Th2, and Th17. Moreover, the balance among them was not lost by radon inhalation. Radon inhalation for 4 weeks decreased superoxide dismutase activity and increased catalase activity in spleen. These findings suggest that an imbalance of oxidative stress may contribute to activate the immune response. Although zymosan administration activated Th17 immune response and decreased Th1 and Th2 immune response in SKG/Jcl mice, most cytokines related to Th1, Th2, and Th17 approached the normal level by radon inhalation. These findings suggested that radon inhalation has a different action between SKG/Jcl mice and normal BABL/c mice. This may indicate that radon inhalation has an immunomodulation function.

BACKGROUND The present study was conducted to compare clinical outcomes and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) interleukin (IL)-6 cytokine levels in microsurgical and conventional open flap debridement procedure. METHODS Thirty sites in chronic periodontitis patients were randomly assigned into Group I (microsurgical) and Group II (conventional) open flap debridement in a split-mouth design. Gingival bleeding index (GBI), probing pocket depth (PPD), relative attachment level (RAL) were recorded at baseline and 3 months. GCF IL-6 cytokine levels were assessed at baseline and on 3rd day postoperatively. Pain perception using visual analog score (VAS) and soft tissue healing using early healing index (EHI) were assessed after on 7th day post-surgery. RESULTS There was a significant reduction in gingival bleeding index, probing pocket depth, relative attachment level within both the groups. Intergroup gingival bleeding index scores were statistically significant at the end of 3 months. The difference in visual analog scores between the two groups was found to be statistically insignificant whereas early healing index scores between the groups was found to be statistically significant. Group I showed lower levels of IL-6 on 3rd day postoperatively. It was also found that there was positive correlation of IL-6 levels with clinical parameters such as PPD and RAL. CONCLUSIONS Open flap debridement using microsurgical approach can substantially improve clinical parameters and wound healing compared with conventional macrosurgical approach. IL-6 levels were lower in microsurgical group indicating less invasive surgical approach. KEY WORDS Open Flap Debridement, Periodontal Microsurgery, Wound Healing, IL-6, Cytokine, GCF.

Background: Prenatal immune development may play an important role in the etiology of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods: Seven cytokines, IL1β, IL4, IL6, IL8, GM-CSF, TNFα, and VEGF, were analyzed in blood spots collected at birth from 1,020 ALL cases and 1,003 controls participating in the California Childhood Leukemia Study. ORs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) associated with an interquartile range increment in cytokine levels were calculated using logistic regression, adjusting for sociodemographic and birth characteristics. Results: We found that patients with ALL were born with higher levels of a group of correlated cytokines than controls [IL1β: OR of 1.18 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.35); IL8: 1.19 (1.03–1.38); TNFα: 1.15 (1.01–1.30); VEGF: 1.16 (1.01–1.33)], especially among children of Latina mothers (ORs from 1.31 to 1.40) and for ALL with high hyperdiploidy (ORs as high as 1.27). We found that neonatal cytokine levels were correlated with neonatal levels of endogenous metabolites which had been previously associated with ALL risk; however, there was no evidence that the cytokines were mediating the relationship between these metabolites and ALL risk. Conclusions: We posit that children born with altered cytokine levels are set on a trajectory towards an increased risk for subsequent aberrant immune reactions that can initiate ALL. Impact: This is the first study to evaluate the interplay between levels of immunomodulatory cytokines at birth, prenatal exposures, and the risk of childhood ALL.

Aim. A study of the clinical and morphological traits and cytokine profile of gastritis in schoolchildren with familial history of gastric cancer.Materials and methods. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in Siberian regions (Tuva, Even-kiya, Aginskiy Buryat National District, Krasnoyarsk). A total of 3,343 schoolchildren aged 7–17 were surveyed for gastrointestinal complaints and history of gastric cancer in their 1st–2nd degree kindred. Oesophagogastroduo-denoscopy (OGDS) with gastric mucosa biopsy were performed in 463 respondents with complaints. Gastritis was graded in the Sydney classification. Serum cytokine levels (IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-18, IL-1β, IFN-α, TNM-α) were obtained in enzyme immunoassays (ELISA).Results. Schoolchildren with gastritis and familial history of gastric cancer revealed a higher 59.8% rate of dyspeptic complaints vs. 40.8% in negative history (p = 0.001), as well as complaints of weekly heartburn in 14.2 and 8.3% cas-es (p = 0.019), respectively. In positive history and negative H. pylori tests, the cell immune response regulator IL-18 37 was revealed elevated in histology. In histologically verified H. pylori, no cross-cohort differences were observed in serum IL-18 by positive familial history of gastric cancer.Conclusion. Gastritis in schoolchildren with familial predisposition to gastric cancer more often associates with GERD and dyspepsia usually presented in postprandial distress syndrome. The cytokine regulation properties of gastritis in schoolchildren with familial history of gastric cancer have been reported.

A review article is based on current foreign sources. The level of cytokines in the peripheral blood can be increased in many diseases, but in some cases there may be an excess of their normal concentration in tens, hundreds or more times with the development of a peculiar clinical picture, which is based on a systemic inflammatory reaction. In the literature this condition has received the figurative name «cytokine storm», which highlights an extremely violent reaction of the immune system with an unknown (often unfavorable) outcome. Close attention of the scientific world and the public to the problem of extremely high levels of cytokines in the peripheral blood (hypercytokinemia) was drawn due to the high frequency of the cytokine storm in the novel coronavirus infection.

Background:. To evaluate intraoperative and postoperative cytokines in patients who underwent robotic prostatectomy (RP) at a pressure of 12 or 15 mm Hg, and the risk of postoperative ileus. Materials and methods:. We presented the first series evaluating intraoperative and postoperative cytokines in patients undergoing RP at a pressure of 12 or 15 mm Hg by a single surgeon. Changes in cytokine concentrations were shown to correlate with surgical outcomes and pathological states. The study investigated the changes in cytokine concentrations (interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-17) at different pneumoperitoneum pressures and their potential role in the development of postoperative ileus. Results:. The data on 10 consecutive patients confirmed that a lower pneumoperitoneum pressure was associated with lower cytokine levels and a lower risk of ileus. There were increased levels of postoperative interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-17a at 15 mm Hg when compared to 12 mm Hg. Conclusions:. The data indicated that lower pressure RP reduced intra-/postoperative cytokine levels confirming our hypothesis. Larger patient numbers are required to further validate this but the implications of this data will benefit not only urological patients but also other speciality patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery.

To determine the correlation between aqueous humor cytokine levels and the prognostic value of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for treating macular edema resulting from retinal vein occlusion (RVO-ME). This prospective study included 47 RVO-ME and 32 senile cataract cases. Aqueous humor collection was performed in patients with RVO-ME before intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and in patients before cataract surgery. VEGF, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were measured in the aqueous humor. Central retinal thickness (CRT) was measured before ranibizumab treatment and during each follow-up visit. The recovery rate following ranibizumab treatment was calculated as (CRTBT—CRTAT1W)/CRTBT, in which CRTBT was the CRT measured before treatment and CRTAT1W was measured 1 week after treatment. The recurrence time of RVO-ME was recorded. VEGF, MCP-1, IL-8, and IL-6 levels in the aqueous humor of patients with RVO-ME were significantly higher compared with control and were positively correlated with the CRTBT. Ranibizumab significantly reduced CRT, and VEGF levels positively correlated with the recovery rate. The mean recurrence time of RVO-ME was 43.5 days. IL-6 levels negatively correlated with the recurrence time of ME. VEGF, MCP-1, IL-8, and IL-6 levels were significantly increased in patients with RVO-ME and were positively correlated with ME. Higher VEGF levels were indicative of CRT recovery, and higher IL-6 levels were indicative of ME recurrence after ranibizumab treatment.

Objective: to study the effect of selective plasmadsorption (SPS) on the level of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory plasma cytokines, markers of liver failure in patients with obstructive jaundice.Material and Methods. The study was conducted in 23 patients with prolonged obstructive jaundice. The baseline level of total bilirubin ranged from 285 μmol/L to 589 μmol/L. All patients were exposed to selective plasmadsorption before biliodigistic surgery and twice in the early postoperative period. Selective plasmosorption was carried using OctoNova by Asahi Kasei Medical (Japan) with the use of the sorbent based on the Plasorba BR-350 anion exchange resin. In one procedure, about two volumes of circulating plasma were treated.Results. Initial increase in the level of pro-inflammatory TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 cytokines as well as anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokine was established.Following SPS, TNF-α level signifcantly decreased by 42.4% (p < 0.05). The decrease in IL-1β and IL-6 was 38.9% and 34.0%, respectively. The level of IL-10 signifcantly decreased by 30.7% (p < 0.05). A signifcant decrease in the levels of total bilirubin by 39.8 ± 3.8%, conjugated bilirubin (by 38.2%), unconjugated bilirubin (by 32.5%), ALT (by 23.5%), AST (by 37%), and bile acids (by 31.4%) was revealed by the end of the procedure. There were no hemorrhagic complications associated with SPS.Conclusions. Selective plasmosorption in complex treatment of patients with mechanical jaundice with hepatic insufciency in perioperative period reduces endotoxicosis level not only due to correction of biochemical markers of liver failure but also due to reduction of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Overweight and obesity are among the main factors of cardiovascular risk, but the prospective studies on the dependence between high-fat diets and weight gain yielded contradictory results. Different types of fats exert varying metabolic effects, and this fact leads to a difference in the risk associated with increasing body weight. The effects of fat quality in the daily diet on immunological status and resistance of myocardium to ischemic-reperfusion damage should be studied experimentally in biomedical models. The purpose of this work was to assess the effect of the qualitative composition of a high-fat diet used for induction of primary visceral obesity (PVO) in rats with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) upon myocardial resistance to ischemic-reperfusion injury, and levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.The experiments were performed on adult male Wistar rats with PVO caused by 28-day consumption of any fat types: hydrogenated fats (HF), vegetable oils (VO), animal fats (AF) or milk fat (MF). The SIRS model included a combination of chemically induced colitis (CIC) and intragastric injection of a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent (AMA) for three days. Five days later, immunological and biochemical studies were conducted, as well as composition of intestinal microbiota in faecal samples, morphological changes in the structure of the large intestine, hemodynamic parameters and myocardial resistance to ischemic-reperfusion injury were studied in the model of isolated heart perfusion, by Langendorff technique.There was a significant increase in the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokines in animals with SIRS, i.e., TNFα, IL-1α, IL-2, IL-8, as well as a decrease in TGF-1β, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. SIRS was accompanied by severe dietary disorders and evacuatory function of the gastrointestinal tract. Minimal changes in the intestinal microbiota composition, as well as the most pronounced regeneration signs of intestinal epithelium was observed in rats in the group with MF injection. There was a trend for increasing size of infarction in all the groups as compared with control, directly correlating with increase in BDNF and IL-2 production. However, a significant increase in the infarction size was found only in the group receiving milkfat, thus suggesting a decrease in myocardial resistance to ischemic reperfusion injury (IRI).Thus, the presence of SIRS in the primary obesity model is characterized by controllable change of inflammation markers and depends on the quality of dietary fats. The degree of morphofunctional deterioration of isolated heart, including a decrease in resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury, correlates with the concentration of BDNF and IL-2 during the studied observation terms.

The purpose is to estimate the content of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 , IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, ICAM-1, VEGF) in the tear liquid of patients with advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and complicated primary cataract after phacoemulsification and IOL implantation performed simultaneously with vitreoretinal surgery vs. vitreoretinal surgery alone. Material and methods . 34 patients with PDR and complicated primary cataract were divided into two groups. Group 1 received a two-phase surgical procedure: (a) vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) with silicone oil tamponade followed by (b) phacoemulsification surgery, IOL implantation and silicone oil removal. Group 2 was subjected to (a) phacoemulsification simultaneously with vitreoretinal surgery and silicone oil tamponade and (b) silicone oil removal from the vitreous cavity. Both groups had their tear liquid samples examined before the surgery and on the 2 nd day after the 1 st phase. Results . Group 2 revealed a 2 to 2.5 times higher concentration of IL-8, MCP-1 and ICAM-1 as compared to Group 1. Conclusion . Increased concentrations of IL-8, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 in the tear after phacoemulsification surgery and IOL implantation coupled with vitreoretinal surgery as compared to vitreoretinal surgery alone requires additional research of the role played by the inflammatory component in the pathogenesis of postsurgical complications in advanced PDR patients.

BACKGROUND: Dysregulation of inflammatory processes is linked to perinatal complications yet a comprehensive description of cytokine levels throughout the perinatal period is lacking. We report prospective, serial levels of 29 unique cytokines measured in maternal blood during pregnancy, in the cord blood at birth, and in the neonatal blood. METHODS: Pregnant women (n = 140) for recruited from a Midwest tertiary medical center. Blood was obtained at five timepoints: 12–20 weeks, 24–28 weeks, and at labor in the women, umbilical cord at birth, 24–72 h in the newborn. Cytokine levels were analyzed using an electrochemiluminescence-based immunoassay. RESULTS: Levels for 29 cytokines were measured. The data were separated into two groups: pregnancies with (n = 82) and without major complications (n = 53) (preterm birth, preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus). Eighteen cytokines showed significant changes over time (p < .002). The majority of the cytokines were highest in the newborn. No differences in cytokine levels between complication groups were noted at any timepoint. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first known study to report prospective, serial cytokine levels throughout the perinatal period for pregnancies with/without complications. No differences in maternal cytokine levels between those with/without complications were detected; studies with a larger sample size would be needed to validate our current findings. Results also suggest cytokine dysregulation may be more localized to the placenta making it difficult to measure and predict during pregnancy using maternal systemic blood specimens.

Context: Chronic airway inflammation in asthma is affected by a complex network of interacting cytokines. The exact role of each cytokine in childhood asthma development has remained poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to review articles investigating cytokine levels and polymorphisms in childhood asthma among the Iranian population to assess susceptible cytokines related to childhood asthma. Evidence Acquisition: We performed a literature search in PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, and Embase databases to find articles that have evaluated the cytokine levels and gene polymorphisms in childhood asthma among the Iranian population until March 2, 2020. The terms used to search included “cytokine”, “interleukin”, “polymorphism”, “Asthma”, and “Iran” in the international databases. Only case-control studies with a healthy control group that investigated cytokine levels and polymorphism in childhood asthma among the Iranian population have been included. Results: Considering these criteria, we extracted 7 articles from international databases and included them in the current review. We investigated 4 cytokine levels and 4 cytokine polymorphism patterns in asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects in Iran. Interleukin (IL)-23, IL-17, and IL-33 levels were statistically higher in asthmatic children, and also IL-33, IL-17 levels were associated with asthma severity. There were no significant differences between healthy and asthmatic subjects regarding IL-35 levels. Polymorphisms in cytokine IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-2 were susceptible to childhood asthma in the Iranian population. Conclusions: Increased IL-33 and IL-17 levels were related to disease severity in childhood asthma. Four cytokine polymorphisms (IL-4, IL-10, IL-2, and TNF-α) were associated with the risk of pediatric asthma in the Iranian population.

This study aimed to examine changes in levels of cytokine and T cell surface molecules in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving sequential interferon therapy following 1-year nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) treatment. Cytokine levels were measured in 30 patients, and T cell surface molecule expression was measured in 48 patients receiving sequential interferon therapy and 24 patients only receiving NA mono-therapy. An HBsAg titer of0.05 IU/ml was defined as a "functional cure." In the cured group (HBsAg 0.05 IU/ml), a decreasing probability was observed in IFN-γ (after Week 0), and IL-22 and IP-10 (after Week 12). In the non-cured group (HBsAg ≥ 0.05 IU/ml), a probability of slightly decreasing was observed for IFN-γ (after Week 12), and a probability of increasing IP-10 concentration (after Week 0) was observed. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses showed significant differences in the levels of IL-10, IL-23, CCL-3, IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-12P70 between the two groups. In GEE analysis, there were significant differences in expressions of CD45RO

In patients with moderate-to-severe and severe psoriasis and high efficacy of therapy (PASI≥75) with signaling pathway inhibitors (apremilast, tofacitinib), cytokine spectra in the skin and blood plasma were studied using xMAP technology at baseline and on weeks 14 and 26 of treatment. Comparison of cytokine levels in psoriatic lesional skin and plasma samples of patients treated with apremilast or tofacitinib revealed statistical difference only for IFNγ level (р

Central nervous system dysfunction, associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, remains a significant clinical concern, affecting at least 50% of infected people. Imbalances in cytokine expression levels have been linked to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma cytokine levels as predictor neurocognitive impairment in HIV infection using a multiplex profiling kit. Stepwise regression model was used to identify cytokine biomarkers of overall and domain-specific cognitive performance. Higher interleukin (IL)-2 (

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effect of intravitreal conbercept (IVC) injections on the aqueous humor concentrations of angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines in patients with macular edema (ME) due to central retinal vein occlusion and to determine whether changes in cytokine levels after IVC are associated with the development of rebound ME. Methods Forty-nine patients with ME caused by central retinal vein occlusion were included in this retrospective study. Monthly doses of IVC were administered for three months, followed by a Pro Re Nata dosing regimen. Rebound ME was defined as ≥110% increase in the foveal thickness compared with the baseline. Whenever injections were administered, aqueous humor samples were obtained. Multiplex bead assay was used to measure seven angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines in aqueous humor samples. Results At baseline, patients with central retinal vein occlusion showed significantly higher aqueous humor concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, platelet-derived growth factor-AA, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-12. At 1-month and 2-month follow-up after IVC, significantly decreased concentrations of all cytokines were observed. During the 12-month follow-up period, 6 of the 49 eyes (12.2%) showed rebound ME after IVC. Patients with rebound ME showed significantly elevated levels of inflammatory but not angiogenic cytokines. Conclusion Angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines were overexpressed in patients with ME caused by central retinal vein occlusion. Conbercept treatment influenced the concentrations of various inflammatory cytokines and reduced aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor concentrations. Rebound ME may occur due to disruption of the balance between angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines and an accompanying excess of inflammatory cytokines but not angiogenic cytokines, after antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) on clinical status and serum cytokine levels in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Seventy-four patients with CLBP who accepted to participate to the study were randomly divided into two groups. The study group was given ten sessions (in 2 weeks) of hydrotherapy, peloidotherapy, and home exercise, while the control group was given only home exercise. All patients were assessed before and at the end of therapy, at the 1st and 3rd months. The primary outcomes were pain intensity on the visual analog scale (VAS) (VAS-pain, VAS-rest, VAS-exercise) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The secondary outcome measures included patient's and physician's global assessment (VAS-PGA), (VAS-DGA), finger-to-floor distance (FFD), modified Schober test, Short Form-36 (SF-36), and the use of analgesic drug. Venous blood samples were drawn from all patients before/1st day and after therapy/12th day to measure serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 levels. Significant improvement was observed in the study group in VAS-pain, VAS-rest, VAS-exercise, VAS-PGA, VAS-DGA, ODI, and SF-36 parameters after treatment and improvement maintained for 3 months. In the control group, significant improvement was observed in VAS-pain, VAS-exercise, VAS-PGA, VAS-DGA, and ODI scores on the 12th day and continued for 3 months. Decrease in pain, pain during rest and exercise, modified Schober test, VAS-PGA, VAS-DGA, ODI scores, and the increase in SF-36 pain and general health scores showed superiority in favor of the study group in all evaluations. There was a significant increase in IL-10 values from baseline at the end of treatment in the study group. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) was significantly lower in the study group compared with the use of NSAID in the control group in the 3rd month. Balneological outpatient treatment improved clinical status in CLBP patients. Although no significant correlation was clearly determined between IL-10 levels and pain score, this effect might be related to the observed increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 levels that was observed only in the study group.

We investigated the relationship between aqueous cytokine levels, changes in ocular blood flow, and morphological and functional improvements after intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IRI) in treatment-naïve eyes with center-involving diabetic macular edema (DME). Thirty-three eligible patients with DME (33 eyes) were recruited. At the first IRI, we collected a sample of aqueous humor from each eye and measured levels of the cytokines/chemokines. Mean blur rate (MBR) was used to evaluate retinal and choroidal flow by laser speckle flowgraphy at the time of the first IRI and 1 month later. One month after IRI, both retinal and choroidal MBR had significantly decreased from baseline. The reduction ratio of the retinal MBR was significantly correlated with aqueous levels of monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and interleukin-8, and with reduction of central macular thickness, but not with improvement of best corrected visual acuity. The reduction ratio of choroidal MBR showed no statistical correlation with any cytokine levels or changes in clinical parameters. We conclude that IRI reduces both retinal and choroidal blood flow in treatment-naïve DME. Reduction of retinal blood flow correlated with regression of morphological pathology, which is regulated by the initial aqueous levels of some cytokines.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) and especially resistant forms of it have a substantial economic burden on the community health system for diagnosis and treatment each year. Thus, investigation of this field is a priority for the world health organization (WHO). Cytokines play important roles in the relationship between the immune system and tuberculosis. Genetic variations especially single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impact cytokine levels and function against TB. Material and Methods: In this research SNPs in IFN-γ (+874 T/A) and IL-10 (-592 A/C) genes, and the effects of these SNPs on cytokine levels in a total of 87 tuberculosis patients and 100 healthy controls (HCs) were studied. TB patients divided into two groups: 1) 67 drug-sensitive (DS-TB) and 2) 20 drug-resistant (DR-TB) according to drug sensitivity test using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For the genotyping of two SNPs, the PCR-based method was used and IFN-γ and IL-10 levels were measured by ELISA in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and control group. Results: In -592A/C SNP, only two genotypes (AA, AC) were observed and both genotypes showed statistically significant differences between DR-TB and HCs (p=0.011). IL-10 serum levels in PTB patients were higher than HCs (p=0.02). The serum levels of IFN-γ were significantly higher in DS-TB patients than that of the other two groups (p

Background The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between monoamine neurotransmitter and cytokine levels and the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among operating room nurses. Methods A total of 131 nursing staff were selected and assigned into the PTSD, non-PTSD, and control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to determine the monoamine neurotransmitters in plasma and serum cytokines. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to assess the sensitivity and specificity of neurotransmitters and cytokines in the clinical detection of PTSD among operating room nurses. Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were used to evaluate the correlation between neurotransmitter and cytokine levels and the clinical characteristics of operating room nurses with PTSD. Results Our study found that the monoamine neurotransmitters and cytokines among nurses in the PTSD group were significantly higher than those in the non-PTSD and control group. Neurotransmitter and cytokine levels as clinical predictors of PTSD among operating room nurses have good sensitivity and specificity, and were negatively correlated with cognitive function and resilience. Conclusions The findings of the present study confirm that monoamine neurotransmitter and cytokine levels are correlated with the occurrence of PTSD among operating room nurses.

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate cytokine levels in plasma samples over time from living-donor renal transplant recipients with no evidence of pathological and clinical rejection at least 1 year post-procedure. Methods We examined plasma cytokine levels in 15 living-donor renal transplant recipients who were treated at our hospital from 2015 to 2018 and who presented with no evidence of pathological or clinical rejection for 1 year or longer. We collected blood samples before renal transplantation and at 1 week and 1 year post-procedure. We evaluated levels of 40 cytokines in plasma using Bio-Plex Pro™ Human Chemokine Assay kit. Results We detected no increase in plasma cytokine levels at either the 1 week or the 1 year time points. Plasma levels of 22 cytokines remained stable throughout and levels of 18 cytokine decreased after transplantation. Conclusion Plasma cytokine levels remained unchanged or were decreased in our patient cohort that included stable cases of living-donor renal transplantation. Our results suggest that renal transplantation may promote amelioration of chronic inflammation associated with end-stage renal failure and dialysis.

Background Inflammatory cytokines have been implicated in organ fibrosis; however, their role in the development of arthrofibrosis after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not been well explored. The purpose of this study is to assess whether perioperative synovial fluid or blood plasma cytokine levels are associated with reduced early post-TKA range of motion. Methods A total of 179 patients with end-stage idiopathic osteoarthritis undergoing TKA were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Synovial fluid and blood plasma were collected prearthrotomy and plasma was collected longitudinally in the postacute care unit and on postoperative days (PODs) 1 and 2. Stiffness was defined as ≤95° range of motion measured with a goniometer at 6 weeks (±2 weeks). Results Thirty-two of 162 (19.8%) patients analyzed were stiff at 6 weeks postoperatively. Postoperative plasma levels of 9 cytokines (Eotaxin3, IL-5, IL12_23p40, IP10, VEGF, IL-7, IL-12p70, IL-16, IL-17a) were significantly different between stiff and nonstiff patients on POD1 and/or POD2. An association between preoperative plasma and synovial fluid cytokine levels and the development of postoperative stiffness was not detected. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that there is a distinct acute postoperative cytokine response profile in patients who develop stiffness 6 weeks after TKA. This profile was characterized by significant differences in levels of 9 cytokines over the first 2 postoperative days. These results identify cytokines that are potential biomarkers for risk of early stiffness after TKA and may play a role in the pathophysiology of this outcome.

To analyse the tear cytokine levels of patients diagnosed with ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease(GVHD)and examine the consistency of these levels with different ocular surface parameters.23 ocular chronic GVHD patients were selected for the assessment of tear cytokine levels and ocular surface parameters (TBUT, CFS, OSDI, and Schirmer's test), and 16 dry eye disease(DED)patients without systemic immune disease were selected as the control group. The 23 cytokines were measured using microsphere-based immunoassay analysis and their consistency with different ocular surface parameters was studied.ICAM-1, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 showed elevated levels in the eyes of oGVHD patients compared to DED [P 0.001]. IL-7 and EGF showed lower levels in the eyes of patients with oGVHD than in those of patients with DED [P 0.0001]. Furthermore, the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 showed a stronger correlation with corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) (P 0.05), and the levels of IL-6 and ICAM-1 were most consistent with fluorescein tear film break-up time (TBUT) (P 0.05).Our study demonstrated certain tear cytokines, including ICAM-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 IL-7 and EGF, as promising new possible diagnostic markers of chronic oGVHD and criteria for chronic ocular GVHD severity. Because tear sampling is noninvasive and simple, this method is expected to be an overwhelming applicable for the screening and diagnosis of chronic GVHD.

BACKGROUND: The associations between cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung cytokine expression, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and pulmonary function test results in pediatric asthmatics have not been extensively characterized. This study sought to explore correlations between cytokines BALF, FeNO, and pulmonary function test results. METHODS: From October 2018 to October 2020, a prospective study was conducted on 42 children with asthma and 17 children with pulmonary foreign bodies that required bronchoscopy. Pulmonary function tests and FeNO tests were performed on all patients. Patients were divided into a high FeNO group or low FeNO group based on their FeNO results. Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, and IL-17 in the BALF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Pearson correlations were used to assess the correlations between the cytokines in BALF, the pulmonary function test results, and the FeNO results. Pearson correlation was used to calculate the correlation coefficient “r” among alveolar lavage fluid cytokines, lung function, and FeNO. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of BALF cytokines for the high and low FeNO groups. RESULTS: IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, and IL-17 in BALF were significantly correlated with FeNO, but were not significantly correlated with the pulmonary function test results. Cytokine IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, and IL-17 in BALF were significantly different in the high FeNO, low FeNO, and control groups (all P

The aims of this study are to investigate the effect of acrylamide on the level of proinflammatory cytokines in the blood of acrylamide-treated rats and to find the modulatory impact of probiotics on those cytokines. Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups: rats which received 20 mg acrylamide, acrylamide with 20 mg probiotics, acrylamide with 200 mg probiotics, and standard water and food (groups 1–4, respectively). The serum levels of cytokines were measured on days 0, 15, and 30. Group 1 showed an increased serum level of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α after 15 days, and they decreased in day 30. Serum IL-6 level was significantly decreased on days 15 and 30 in rats in group 2 compared to the controls. TNF-α and IL-1β levels were not statistically different after treated with probiotics. The exposure of rats to acrylamide led to increased systemic inflammation as evidenced by higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines, and probiotics can modulate this inflammation.

Increasing evidence suggests that immunological disturbances and abnormalities in axonal myelination are involved in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study aimed to determine the role of cytokines in myelin damage in Chinese children with ASD and the role of cytokine dysregulation, myelin damage, and cytokine polymorphisms in ASD in Chinese children. The present case-control study included 98 ASD subjects and 252 typically developing (TD) controls; the levels of serum cytokines and myelin basic protein (MBP) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cytokine polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Autistic clinical manifestations were assessed by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). The results showed that serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2R, IL-6, IL-8, and MBP were higher in children with ASD compared with those in TD children. In individuals with ASD, serum MBP level was significantly positively associated with the CARS total score, and serum levels of IL-1β, IL-2R, IL-6, and MBP demonstrated positive correlations. The data identified IL-6*MBP as a factor that influenced the risk of ASD, and IL-2R*MBP was identified as a factor that influenced symptom severity, which influenced auxiliary diagnosis of ASD. The presence of the interleukin-6-572CC genotype was associated with significantly higher serum levels of IL-6 and MBP but did not influence the risk and symptom severity of ASD. Therefore, the results suggested inflammatory responses and myelin damage in Chinese children with ASD. Cytokine dysregulation influenced myelin damage in ASD; moreover, the interactions of the cytokines and myelin damage influenced the risk and symptom severity of ASD. The IL-6-572C/G genotypes may be associated with myelin damage in ASD by influencing the circulating level of IL-6.

Aims To investigate the role of exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) in the development of neuropathic pain (NP) following infraorbital nerve (ION) injury and to explore possible underlying mechanisms defining the differences between rats with high and low EIH. Methods EIH was evaluated by measuring the percentage of withdrawal responses to a series of 30 mechanical stimuli applied to the hind paw before and after 180 seconds of exercise on a rotating rod. The rats were assigned to low- and high-EIH groups based on reduction in the percent of withdrawal responses following exercise. NP was induced in high- and low-EIH rats via ION constriction injury. Rats were tested with graded nylon monofilaments to establish the withdrawal threshold. Increasingly stiff monofilaments were applied to the ION territory until there was a clear withdrawal by the rat. This was repeated a total of three times. A decreased withdrawal threshold indicates allodynia. Testing was performed at baseline and at 3, 10, and 17 days following the injury. On day 17 postinjury, IONs were harvested for the assessment of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and IL-10 levels. Samples from high-EIH and low-EIH surgically naive rats served as control for the cytokines study. In this second part of the study, the effects of cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid 2 (CB2) antagonists and naltrexone on EIH profiles and on the withdrawal thresholds to mechanical stimulation were measured. EIH and withdrawal thresholds in high- and low-EIH rats were measured before and after administration of antagonists. Results Low-EIH rats developed significantly more pronounced allodynia in the ION territory following injury compared to high-EIH rats. At 17 days postinjury, ION IL-1β levels were higher in low-EIH rats, and IL-10 levels were higher in high-EIH rats. CB1 antagonist blocked the analgesic effect induced by exercise in high- but not in low-EIH rats. The CB2 antagonist had no significant effect on high- or low-EIH rats. Naltrexone blocked the effects of EIH in both high- and low-EIH rats. Exercise induced a significant analgesic effect in high-EIH but not in low-EIH rats. CB1 or CB2 antagonist administration had no effect on pre-exercise responses to mechanical stimulation, while naltrexone administration resulted in significant allodynia in both low- and high-EIH rats. Conclusion This study demonstrated substantial differences between rats with high and low EIH. The results suggest that following ION injury, high-EIH rats may have a more prominent or activated endocannabinoids system and that their inflammatory response is moderated, with higher levels of IL-10 and lower levels of IL-1β.

Acute septic arthritis (ASA) is a common orthopedic infection of children which may produce devastating sequelae and chronic morbidity. Improved understanding of the intra-articular inflammatory response in ASA may identify cytokine targets with diagnostic or therapeutic potential, though no detailed investigations to this end have been performed. Given this, we used a multiplex cytokine assay for assessment of levels of 40 different cytokines in the synovial fluid and blood of children with ASA. Twelve children (8 controls undergoing orthopedic surgery for non-infectious conditions and 4 with ASA) were prospectively enrolled. Blood and synovial fluid were collected intraoperatively from each subject, and the levels of 40 cytokines were determined using a multiplex assay. Cytokines were organized by function and structure into 12 groups for analysis. The Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to control for type 1 errors, with an a priori false discovery rate of 10%. Subjects with ASA were younger than controls (mean age 8.0 vs 13.1 years, p=0.0400). Significant elevations were seen in interleukins (IL) with chemokine properties, IL-6 and those in the common-γ chain group in the blood and synovial fluid of children with ASA compared with controls, while significant elevations in 5 additional cytokine groups were seen in synovial fluid from children with ASA compared with controls, most notably IL-6 (median 8294.3 vs 10.7 pg/mL, p=0.0066). Our pilot study is the first to describe in detail the cytokine response in children with ASA, and highlights the need for additional study.

To clarify the pathogenesis of sudden unexpected natural death (SUD) as well as biomarkers to differentiate the underlying diseases, by performing cytokine analysis in the acute phase of pediatric patients in whom viral infection led to SUD. An acute phase cytokine analysis of pediatric patients in whom viral infection led to SUD was performed, and the data obtained were compared with those from SUD patients not associated with viral infections. Subjects included 4 boys aged 1–16 mo who died of cardiopulmonary arrest associated with viral infections. The causative viruses were identified as enterovirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and rotavirus. The 4 other infants/children (aged 2–12 mo) died of non-infectious episodes, i.e., 1, 2, and 1 died of drowning, falling, and a traffic accident, respectively. Cerebrospinal fluid samples (CSF) of the subjects were collected during cardiopulmonary resuscitation or within 24 h of the events. The infection-induced sudden death group showed elevated CSF levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. No increase was observed in interleukin-10 levels. Furthermore, in the infection-induced sudden death group, platelet-derived growth factor levels correlated with inflammatory cytokine levels. Infection-associated SUD may be differentiated from noninfectious SUD by measuring the levels of acute phase–inflammatory cytokines and chemokines at the onset of SUD.

Introduction The role of immunological mechanisms in the pathophysiology of mental disorders has been discussed with increasing frequency. In this context, especially schizophrenia has become the focus of attention after the discovery of autoimmune encephalitis, which might present with psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, multiple studies have identified associations between infections or autoimmune diseases and schizophreniform disorders. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis plays a central role in identifying potential inflammatory processes in the central nervous system. Therefore, the rationale of this retrospective study was the analysis of different cytokines, including interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels, in the CSF of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Methods The authors examined the CSF of 40 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, in comparison to the CSF of a mentally healthy control group of 39 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Magnetic bead multiplexing immunoassay was used to retrospectively determine different cytokines in the participants' CSF. Results Participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders had significantly higher IL-8 levels in their CSF than controls (mean ± SD: 41.83 ± 17.50 pg/ml versus 21.40 ± 7.96 pg/ml; p Conclusion The main finding of this study is the presence of significantly higher IL-8 concentrations in the CSF of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders when compared to the control group. This supports the hypothesis that immunological processes may be involved in the pathophysiology of a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. However, the study's results are limited by the retrospective design, methodological aspects, and the control group with IIH.

Alterations in peripheral serotonin concentrations and an imbalanced immune system have been reported in patients with a depressive disorder. Cytokines and T regulatory (Treg) cells may play an important role in the development of depression. This study investigates levels of cytokines and Treg cells, as well as the concentration of serotonin (5-HT) in the blood of 89 patients suffering from a depressive disorder and 89 healthy participants between two acquisitions. We investigated the state of health before (T1) and after (T2) psychological and pharmacological therapy. Both cytokine (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and INF-γ) and 5-HT levels in the blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The levels of CD4+ CD25+ Treg cells were determined by flow cytometric analysis (FACS). Patients with a depressive disorder showed significantly higher serum levels of IL-6 and INF-γ, no altered serum levels of IL-10 and TNF-α, and decreased platelet and serum 5-HT levels compared to healthy participants at the first acquisition. In addition, the symptoms of depression and anxiety, the TNF-α level, and the amount of CD4+ CD25+ cells in the blood were decreased from the first to the second acquisition. Further, a correlation between IL-6 and platelet 5-HT has been observed in patients. An imbalance of the immune system in patients with a depressive disorder and an association of the serotonergic system and cytokines were observed. These results indicate that the development of a depressive disorder might be related to several interacting proteins, including cytokines and 5-HT, and the treatment affects imbalances of these factors.

Background: Intestinal helminth infection is associated with altered immune responses and compromised vaccine efficacy in infected children. Altered immune response due to Ascaris lumbricoides infection may compromise efficacy of oral poliovirus vaccination in children. There is no information on humoral immune response during oral poliovirus (OP) vaccination of A. lumbricoides–infected Nigerian children. The objective of this study is to determine the serum levels of cytokines (tumour necrosis factor–alpha TNF-α, interferongamma IFN–γ, interleukins -4, -6, -8, -10) and poliovirus-specific IgA (PV-IgA) antibody in children infected with A. lumbricoides compared with helminth-negative children (control) before and after oral poliovirus vaccination. Methodology: Twenty-three A. lumbricoides-infected children between ages 5-15 years (13 males and 10 females) and 23 age (4-15 years) and sex-matched helminth-negative children who met selection criteria were enrolled into the study after ethical approval and informed consent. Their stool samples were examined for helminth ova using concentration technique. Sera were collected before and 3 weeks after OP vaccinations, and serum concentrations of IFN–γ, TNF–α, IL-4, -6, -8, -10, and poliovirus-specific IgA concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of statistical significance was set at α0.05. Results: Pre-vaccination serum levels of IFN–γ, IL–4, IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher in A. lumbricoides–infected children compared with pre-vaccination levels in helminth-negative children. Postvaccination serum levels of IFN–γ, IL–4 and IL-8 were significantly higher in A. lumbricoides–infected children compared with post-vaccination serum levels in helminth-negative children. In the A. lumbricoides-infected children, pre-vaccination serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher compared with post vaccination levels while pre-vaccination serum levels of IFN–γ, IL–4 and IL-8 were significantly higher in helminth-negative children compared with the post-vaccination levels. There was no significant reduction in post-vaccination median serum level of PV-IgA compared with level before vaccination in A. lumbricoides-infected children. Also, there was no significant increase in post-vaccination median serum level of PV-IgA compared with level before vaccination in helminth-negative children. Conclusion: Oral polio vaccine administration caused decrease expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) in A. lumbricoides-infected school children, and A. lumbricoides infection may reduce PV-IgA production following OP vaccination. Keywords: Ascaris lumbricoides infection, cytokines, children, poliovirus vaccination

Altered host immune responses are considered to play a key role in the pathogenesis of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI). The existing literature on cytokine responses in ALRI is largely focussed on adults from developed countries and there are few reports describing the role of cytokines in childhood ALRI, particularly in African or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected populations. To measure systemic cytokine levels in blood plasma from young South African children with and without ALRI and with and without HIV to determine associations between cytokine responses and disease status and respiratory viral identification. Blood plasma samples were collected from 106 hospitalized ALRI cases and 54 non-ALRI controls less than 2 years of age. HIV status was determined. Blood plasma concentrations of 19 cytokines, 7 chemokines, and 4 growth factors (epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor-basic, hepatocyte growth factor, and vascular endothelial) were measured using The Human Cytokine 30-Plex Panel. Common respiratory viruses were identified by PCR. Mean cytokine concentrations for G-CSF, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-5, and MCP-1 were significantly higher in ALRI cases than in nonrespiratory controls. Within the ALRI cases, several cytokines were higher in children with a virus compared with children without a virus. Mean cytokine concentrations for IFN-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, tumour necrosis factor-α, and MIP-1α were significantly lower in HIV-infected cases than in HIV-uninfected cases, while IP-10 and monokine induced by interferon-γ were significantly higher in HIV-infected cases than in HIV-uninfected cases. Certain cytokines are likely to play an important role in the host immune response to ALRI. HIV-infected children have impaired inflammatory responses to respiratory infections compared with HIV-uninfected children.

Background. Psoriasis is a widespread skin disorder characterized by cytokines as the main modulators of skin inflammation. A promising psoriasis therapy approach is targeted on cytokine networks by inhibiting the phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE-4). The efficacy and safety of the PDE-4 inhibitor apremilast in psoriasis confirmed in multicenter controlled studies, which, however, are accompanied by reports of unsuccessful therapy cases. Aims — to determine early immunological predictors for PDE-4 inhibitor (apremilast) therapy efficacy based on skin lesions cytokines analyzes in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Methods. An open, uncontrolled prospective clinical study was performed. Efficacy of apremilast was analyzed by PASI, BSA, sPGA and DLQI. The outcomes at 26 therapy week were compared with the cytokine levels in skin biopsies selected before starting therapy and analyzed using xMAP technology. The multiparameter prognostic model for apremilast therapy effectiveness was developed based on a heterogeneous sequential recognition procedure. Results. The 34 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were included in the study. According to the clinical outcomes, two comparison groups were formed: high (75% reduction in PASI score or more; n = 14) and insufficient (50% reduction in PASI score or less; n = 20) apremilast efficiency. Cytokines analyses showed an inverse relationship between the initial anti-inflammatory IL-10 level and the PASI reduction (r = –0.37; p

Purpose: To investigate the changes in aqueous humor cytokine levels in response to short-term aflibercept therapy in treatment-naive patients with center-involving diabetic macular edema (DME). Me...

Peri-implantitis is one of the leading causes of implant failure and loss, and its early diagnosis is not currently feasible due to the low sensitivity of currents methods. In the current exploratory cross-sectional study, we explored the diagnostic potential of lymphocyte B and Th17-chemotactic cytokine levels in peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF) in 54 patients with healthy, peri-mucositis, or peri-implantitis implants. Peri-implant crevicular fluid was collected, and the levels of the molecules under study were quantified by Luminex assay. The concentrations of CCL-20 MIP-3 alpha, BAFF/BLYS, RANKL and OPG concentration in PICF were analyzed in the context of patient and clinical variables (smoking status, history of periodontitis, periodontal diagnosis, implant survival, suppuration, bleeding on probing, periodontal probing depth, clinical attachment level, mean of implant probing depth, and plaque index). Patients with peri-implantitis, appear to have an overregulation of the RANKL/BAFF-BLyS axis. This phenomenon needs to be investigated in depth in further studies with a larger sample size.

Aims To characterize the peripheral inflammatory cytokine profile in people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting Clinical studies that evaluated peripheral blood inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with SUDs and healthy controls PARTICIPANTS: SUD patients and healthy controls. Measurements PubMed and Web of Science were systematically searched for relevant studies. Two investigators independently selected studies and extracted data. A total of 77 articles were included in the meta-analysis, containing 5649 patients with SUDs and 4643 healthy controls. Data were pooled using a random-effects model by the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2 software. Findings Concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6) in 32 studies, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in 28 studies, IL-10 in 20 studies, IL-8 in 17 studies, C-reactive protein in 14 studies, IL-4 in 10 studies, IL-12 in seven studies, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 in 6 studies, TNF-receptor 2 (TNF-R2) in four studies and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in three studies were significantly higher in patients with SUDs compared with healthy controls, while concentrations of leptin in 14 studies were significantly lower in patients with SUDs compared with healthy controls. The findings were inconclusive for the associations between interferon-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, G-CSF, C-C motif chemokine 11, TGF-α and SUDs. Conclusions People with substance use disorders (SUDs) appear to have higher peripheral concentrations of IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, C-reactive protein, MCP-1, TNF-R2 and GM-CSF and lower peripheral concentrations of leptin than people without SUDs. This strengthens the view that SUD is accompanied by an inflammatory response.

Peripheral inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dysregulations in circulating levels of different inflammatory mediators are detectable as early as the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage towards AD. Depressive symptoms, another risk factor of AD, are often found in individuals with MCI and associated with heightened levels of peripheral inflammatory mediators. Diminution in depressive symptoms and alterations of peripheral inflammation profiles have been observed following Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). In this pilot randomized-control trial, the impact of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) was compared to that of a psychoeducation-based intervention (PBI) on the peripheral inflammation profile and depressive symptomatology of participants with MCI. Plasma samples and scores on the Geriatric Depression scale (GDS) were obtained from 12 participants per group before and after the 8-week interventions. Flow cytometry allowed for inter-group comparisons of the pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin (IL)-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α levels. Post-MBI, two tendencies stand out regarding inflammation profiles: 1) a decrease of TNF-α for participants having higher initial levels of this cytokine, and 2) an increase of IL-6 levels for all participants. In the PBI group, the cytokine levels remained unchanged post-intervention. Regarding depressive symptomatology, no significant variations were noted for both groups. Moreover, variations on depressive symptoms and peripheral levels of cytokines were not correlated. MBI could exert a physiological effect on an important feature of AD, namely inflammation. Furthermore, action mechanisms behind physiological and psychological effects of MBIs could stem from independent sources. This remains to be demonstrated with more robust data.

Background Evidence suggests that depression is correlated with immune-inflammatory responses, and efforts have been made to identify the relationships between depression and inflammatory markers. This study investigated the level of cytokines before and after treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in medication-naive adolescents with first-episode MDD and compared them with the levels in healthy adolescents. The relationship between cytokine levels and the severity of depressive symptoms was also examined. Methods Twenty-five adolescents with MDD and 25 healthy controls aged 13 to 18 years were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained, and depression severity was assessed twice in the MDD group before and after treatment and once in the healthy group. Results When compared with healthy controls, adolescents with MDD had lower levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and IL-10 before treatment and higher levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10 after treatment. In addition, the IFN-γ levels correlated with depressive severity scores in both the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The IL-10 level correlated with depressive severity only on the HDRS. Limitations The sample size was small, and the 12-week follow-up time after treatment was relatively short. Conclusion IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 levels in medication-naive adolescents with first-episode MDD differed from those in healthy controls. The levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10 were altered after antidepressant treatment. Further, the IFN-γ and IL-10 levels correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms.

Background: Stress that is induced by sleep deprivation can modulate the damage of periodontal tissue by elevating the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. IL-1β and TNF-α). The effects of sleep deprivation can be resolved with sleep recovery. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is fluid in sulcular gingiva which acts as an oral biomarker for evaluating periodontal abnormalities. Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of various induction methods of sleep deprivation stress on cytokine levels in GCF of white male Wistar strain rats ( Rattus novergicus ). Methods: The study method was true experimental with a posttest-only control group design. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups : paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD), total sleep deprivation (TSD), partial sleep deprivation with sleep recovery for five days (PSD+SR), total sleep deprivation with sleep recovery for five days (TSD+SR ) and a healthy control group. Data were analysed via one-way ANOVA to determine differences between groups. Result: The results showed the highest level of IL-1β and TNF-α was found in the PSD group. One-way ANOVA analysis showed significant differences (p

Background: Cytokines have been found to play a role in the disease activity of multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous studies indicate that acupuncture can affect cytokine levels in persons with other inflammatory diseases. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of acupuncture on cytokine levels and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in persons with MS. Materials and Methods: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was performed. Participants (n = 66) were randomized into three groups (real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and reference). Participants in the real acupuncture and sham groups received six treatments during a period of 4 weeks. The serum levels of 11 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p70, IL-13, TNFα, IL-10, IL-4, IL-2, and IL-17A) were assessed at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, and 4 weeks after the final treatment. Changes in HRQoL were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis questionnaire. Results: No statistically significant differences in plasma levels between the three groups were seen for either of the cytokines, nor were there any differences between the groups for HRQoL. Conclusions: In this study, the authors could not demonstrate that a 4-week acupuncture treatment had a measurable effect on the plasma levels of seven selected cytokines or on HRQoL among people with MS. The trial was registered with the ISRCTN registry as ISRCTN34352011.

Predicting antidepressant treatment response has been a clinical challenge for major depressive disorder (MDD). The inflammation hypothesis of depression suggests that cytokines play a key role in the pathophysiology of MDD and alterations in peripheral cytokine levels are associated with antidepressant treatment outcome. Present meta-analysis aimed to examine the association between baseline peripheral cytokine levels and the response to antidepressant treatment and to evaluate whether changes of cytokine levels were associated with the response to antidepressant treatment in patients with MDD. Human-based studies published in any language in peer-reviewed journals were systematically searched from the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases, from inception up to October 2018. The search terms included cytokine, depressive disorder and antidepressant and their synonyms. Case-control or case-case studies reporting on levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, CRP, TNF-α, IFN-γ, GMCSF, MIP-1α and Eotaxin-1 in patients with MDD based on validated depression scales both before and after antidepressant treatment were included. Of 7408 identified records, 44 studies met inclusion. Standardized mean differences in each cytokine were evaluated and random-effects meta-analyses were performed. MDD patients who responded to antidepressant treatment had lower baseline IL-8 levels than the non-responders (Hedge’s g = -0.28; 95% CI, -0.43 to -0.13; P = 0.0003; FDR = 0.004). Antidepressant treatment significantly decreased levels of TNF-α (Hedge’s g = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.26 to 0.94; P = 0.0006; FDR = 0.004) only in responders and responders showed significantly more decreased TNF-α levels compared to non-responders (P = 0.046). These findings suggested that alterations in peripheral cytokine levels were associated with antidepressant treatment outcomes in MDD. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate sources of heterogeneity and examine the potentiality of using inflammatory cytokines as novel predictive markers for the pharmacological treatment of MDD.

The effect of antihypertensive and hypolipidemic therapy with the use of a fixed combination of amlodipine, lisinopril and rosuvastatin on the parameters of cytokines (the level of the proinflammatory cytokine - interleukin-1β, anti-inflammatory cytokine - interleukin-10, ligand CD40 (CD40L)), central aortic pressure, arterial stiffness and the value of albuminuria in patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, both in combination with arterial hypertension (AH) of 1-2 degrees, and without it, and in patients with coronary artery disease in combination with AH. The results of the study allow to conclude that the proposed antihypertensive and hypolipidemic therapy significantly reduces the parameters of central hemodynamics and vascular stiffness, the levels of microalbuminuria (MAU) and blood creatinine in patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease in combination with AH of 1-2 degrees, and significantly increases the values IL-10 in patients with hypertension and CKD.

Background/aim Mango ginger (MG: curcuma amada) has antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities. The aim was to evaluate the antiarthritic potential efficacy of MG on collagen-induced arthritis. Materials and methods Twenty-one female Wistar-albino rats were divided into three groups. Arthritis was induced by intradermal injections of type II collagen and Freund’s adjuvant. MG extract was orally administered starting from the first collagen injection. TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, obestatin, sclerostin, and DKK-1 serum levels were determined, and perisynovial inflammation and cartilage-bone destruction in the paws were histologically evaluated. Moreover, joint tissue TNF-α, IL-17, NF-κB, and COX-2 levels were analyzed. Results TNF-α, IL-17, IL-6, and DKK-1 serum levels were increased, and obestatin and sclerostin serum levels were decreased in the arthritis group compared to the control group. However, MG supplements decreased TNF-α, IL-17, IL-6, and DKK-1 serum levels and increased obestatin and sclerostin serum levels. Similarly, while collagen injection increased tissue TNF-α, IL-17, NF-κB, and COX-2 levels, MG decreased TNF-α, IL-17, and NF-κB levels. Moreover, MG ameliorated perisynovial inflammation and cartilage-bone destruction in the paws. Conclusion MG ameliorates arthritis via actions on inflammatory ways and wingless (Wnt) signaling pathway. These results suggest that MG may have a considerable potential efficacy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.