ABSTRACT
To determine whether the spontaneous production of interleukin-6 [IL-6] and oncostatin M [OSM] from peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] in patients with systemic sclerosis [SSc] is increased and whether they are correlated with the clinical or serological features of the disease. The culture supernatants of PBMCs from patients with SSc [n = 22] and healthy controls [n = 10] were examined by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] for detection of IL- 6 and OSM, also pulmonary function tests were done for all patients and controls. The production levels of IL-6 and OSM were significantly higher in patients with SSc than controls [p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively]. High IL-6 levels correlated negatively with% the diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide DLco [r = -0.5; p < 0.05], and high OSM levels correlated negatively with% vital capacity [Vc] and DLco [r = -0.53; p < 0.05 and r = -0.87; p < 0.01 respectively]. The enhanced production of IL-6 and OSM may cooperatively contribute to the disease process in SSc. Enhanced IL-6 and OSM production from PBMCs may be related to the development of pulmonary fibrosis