Interleukins 12 and 13 levels among beta-thalassaemia major patients

The role of inflammatory cytokines in the pathophysiology of beta-thalassaemia is still unclear. In this study production levels of interleukins [IL]-12 and IL-13 were measured by commercial ELISA in cultureI supernatants of mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 30 non-splenectomized beta-thalassaemia cases with iron overload and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. IL-12 levels were significantly lower among cases compared with controls [91.4 pg/mL versus 154.6 pg/mL] while IL-13 levels were significantly higher [42.5 pg/mLversus 5.7 pg/mL]. There was a significant negative correlation between IL-12 and IL-13 levels among beta-thalassaemia cases [r= -0.42]. Patients with beta-thalassaemia alone had higher IL-12 levels than beta-thalassaemia patients who were seropositive for chronic hepatitis B or C virus Infection [140 pg/mL versus 50 pg/mL]; IL-13 levels were slightly lower [65 pg/mL versus 67 pg/mL]. An imbalance In the IL-12/IL-13 axis may be relevant to the pathophysiology of beta-thalassaemia

Disease activity and cytokine production in mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis

To test whether there are differences in the levels and ratios of 6 pro- and 3 anti-inflammatory cytokines produced by mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] in rheumatoid arthritis [RA] subjects compared to controls. 79 participants [42 seropositive RA patients and 37 healthy controls] were enrolled in this study. The production levels in mitogen-stimulated PBMCs of the 6 proinflammatory cytokines [IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, lL-8, IL-17, IL-18] and 3 anti-inflammatory cytokines [IL-4, IL-10, IL13] were assayed by ELISA using kits obtained from Immunotech SA. The ratios of pro- to anti-inflammatory cytokines were calculated for all participants. There were significantly elevated levels of IL-8 and IL-10, and reduced levels of IFN-gamma, IL4, and IL-17 in mitogen-stimulated PBMC culture supernatants of RA subjects compared to controls. Of the 18 pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios, 3 ratios [TNF-alpha/lL13, IL-8/lL-4 and IL-8/lL-13] were significantly higher in RA patients compared to controls; and 6 were higher in controls [IFN-gamma/IL-4; IFN-gamma/IL-10; IFN-gamma/lL-13; TNF-beta/IL10; IL-17/IL-10; IL-18/IL-10]. Activated PBMCs of RA patients, regardless of disease activity, showed higher-level production of IL-8 and IL-10 compared to controls; lower-level production of IFN-gamma, IL-4, and lL-17; and elevated ratios of TNF-alpha/lL-13, IL-8/1L-4 and IL-8/lL-13

Diagnostic value of serum CA-125, CA 19-9, IL-13 and TNF-alpha in endometriosis and prediction of its severity

Endometriosis is one of the most common benign gynecological disorders affecting more than 10% of women of reproductive age A non-surgical diagnostic approach would be of great benefit to both physicians and women alike. To test the diagnostic potential of serum biochemical markers: CA-125, CA 19-9, IL-13 and TNF-alpha conditions as well as to predict its severity. Cross- sectional study. Obstetric and Gynecology Department, Kasr El-Aini hospital - Cairo University. Ninety one consecutive non-pregnant female patients in the reproductive age undergoing laparoscopy for infertility and/or chronic pelvic pain. Serum biochemical markers: CA-125, CA 19-9, IL-13 and TNF-alpha were measured using specific kits and techniques for each in the 91 patients. According to the results of laparoscopic and histopathological examination the study population were divided into 4 groups: early endometnosis, advanced endometrosis, non-endometriotic pelvic inflammations/adhesions and patients with normal findings respectively. Accuracy of the study markers in differentiating between the various pathological situations was calculated, to predict the specificity of each marker, to distinguish endometriosis from other clinical conditions and to predict its severity. Serum CA 125 in group of patients with early endometriosis [26 patients] showed significant difference when compared to the control group [16 patients]. Also significant difference of serum CA125, CA 19-9 and TNF- between cases of advanced endometriosis [14 patients] compared to PID and control groups, [51 patients]. This same significant difference was also detected with TNF-alpha between group of early endometriosis and compared to PID and control groups. CA 19-9 showed significant difference in its level in group of early endometriosis compared to other groups. After combining cases with endometriosis, the three serum biochemical markers which slowed significant difference when compared to other groups were CA-125, CA 19-9 and TNF-alpha while JL-B showed no significant difference. The accuracy of the serum biochemical markers CA-125, CA 19-9 and TNF-alpha regarding the sensitivity and specificity were 79.962, 75.82 and 93.4 respectively. TNF-alpha is characterized by perfect sensitivity while both CA-125 ed CA 19-9 have perfect specificity. Combining the results of assaying serum TNF-alpha plus any of the other markers CA 125 or CA 19-9 will have 100 accuracy in distinguishing cases with endometriosis from those with non-endometriotic lesions. Only serum level of CA 19-9 can distinguish between cases with early and advanced endometriosis

[ serum levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokine profiles in patients with different stages of chronic kidney disease]

Various abnormalities of the immune system have been demonstrated in patients with chronic kidney disease [CKD]. Patients with CKD commonly present with abnormalities of immune function related with impaired kidney function and the accumulation of uremic toxins. Th1 and Th2 cells produce predominantly some cytokine profiles. The aim of the present study was the determination of the levels of IL-13 and IFN-gamma in sera of end-stage renal disease. The correlations of IL-13 and IFN-gamma levels with clinical presentation of the disease were assessed. In this case-control study the serum levels of IL-13 and IFN-gamma were determined by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 30 patients on hemodialysis [HD], 30 patients with chronic renal failure [CRF], and 60 healthy individuals. Renal function was evaluated by measuring serum levels of creatinin, albumin and urea. The serum levels of IL-13 and IFN-gamma were differed significantly between patients and healthy controls. The serum levels of IL-13 was significantly increased in the HD group than in the CRF and control groups [13.7 +/- 3.9, 6.7 +/- 3.4, 4.5 +/- 3.3 pg/ml, respectively] [P=0.001]. On the other hand, the IFN-gamma plasma levels were significantly higher in CRF patients than HD patients and controls [38.8 +/- 18.8, 17.4 +/- 8.78, 12.5 +/- 8.9 pg/ml, respectively]. In the HD patients, low production of IFN-gamma in line with upregulation of IL-13 indicates that Th1/Th2 balance may shift towards Th2 dominance. It is possible that this imbalance contributes to the abnormality of the immune system in HD patients

Serum level of IL13 and expression of BCL2 in Behcet's disease

BCL2 family is a large family of apoptosis regulating proteins consisting of both blockers and promoters of cell death. Immunological processes and a variety of cytokines may play a role in pathophysiological process. Defective regulation of programmed cell death [apoptosis] also play a role in development of Behcet's disease. To investigate the level of BCL2 and IL13in BD and to determine their to relation monitory disease activity. This study was conducted on thirty patients [15 active and 15 inactive] and 15-health control, the activity of BD was evaluated according to international study group for BD disease, using ELISA technique for IL13 and flow cytometry for BCL2. Elevated serum levels of IL13 in patient with active BD than inactive and both had elevated levels than control[P< 0.01] and also the serum levels of Bcl2 was elevated in patient with active BD than inactive and control[P< 0.01]. The data suggested that IL13 and BCL2 could be involved in the pathogenesis of BD and its serum levels can be used as marker to monitor disease activity

Determination of serum interleukin-13 and nerve growth factor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and clinical significance / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

The changes in the levels of serum interleukin-13 (IL-13) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their clinical significance were investigated. Sandwich ELISA was used to determine the levels of serum IL-13 and NGF in 35 SLE patients and 15 normal controls. The results showed that the levels of serum IL-13 (92.69+/-9.87 pg/ml) and NGF (339.69+/-25.60 pg/ml) in active SLE patients were significantly higher than those in inactive SLE patients (IL-13, 54.22+/-9.31 pg/ml; NGF, 300.89+/-33.51 pg/ml) (P<0.01). The inactive patients also had significantly increased serum levels of IL-13 and NGF as compared with normal controls (IL-13, 35.20+/-12.70 pg/ml; NGF, 111.40+/-32.54 pg/ml; P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the serum IL-13 levels were correlated with disease activity index of SLE (SLEDAI), ESR and serum levels of C3 (r= 0. 813, 0.504, -0.605, respectively). The serum NGF levels were also correlated with above markers (r=0.442, 0.338, -0.463, respectively). The serum levels of IL-13 and NGF had a positive correlation (r=0.506, P<0.01). It was suggested that IL-13 and NGF might be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE and closely correlated with disease activity.