Increased IL-8 and IL-1β in the bile of acute cholecystitis patients

Background Acute cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, and a delayed diagnosis of this condition increases the incidence of patient complications and mortality. Although proinflammatory cytokines are reported to be critical mediators in hepatobiliary disease, little is known regarding the biliary cytokine profile in patients with acute cholecystitis. Methods Bile samples were collected from 13 patients with acute cholecystitis who underwent cholecystectomy and 16 healthy adults who underwent cholecystectomy as part of liver donation for transplant. Cytometric bead array immunoassays were performed to measure the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF, and IL-12p70, in the bile samples. Results We found that biliary IL-8, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels in acute cholecystitis patients were significantly higher than those in healthy adults. A sequential measurement of biliary proinflammatory cytokines showed that IL-8 and IL-1β remained at significantly high levels and that this trend continued for approximately 4–6 days, whereas the IL-6 level varied. Conclusion Biliary IL-8 and IL-1β, but not IL-6, could serve as constant and reliable indicators for patients with acute cholecystitis. Because classical symptoms and blood tests are frequently underestimated or untypical in unconscious and elderly patients, these biliary biomarkers are valuable as a complement to current diagnostic criteria for correct diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.