effect of therapeutic procedures on tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF alpha] and interleukin-1 beta [IL-1beta] levels in patients with beta thalassemia

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in both tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF alpha] and Interleukine-1 beta [IL-1beta] levels in patients with beta- thalassemia who undergo special therapeutic Procedures such as splenectomy, iron chelation and blood transfusion. These Procedures may affect the levels of circulating cytokines, including TNF alpha and IL-Ill, which are known to have many biological functions and may be involved in the disease complications. Our study comprised 91 persons 53 patients with beta-thalassemia and 38 controls. Serum specimens were collected to analyze both TNF alpha and IL-1beta concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay [ELISA]. TNF alpha, IL-1beta levels were considerably higher in the patients' group [7.9 pg/ml, 5.2 pg/ml, respectively] than those of control group [3.1 pg/ml, 2.5 pg/ml, respectively]. TNF alpha levels were considerably higher in postsplenectomized patients than those of nonsplenectomized ones [P=0.03], while there was no significant difference in IL-1beta levels between the two groups [P=0.18]. TNF alpha levels were considerably lower in desferrioxamine-treated patients than those of untreated ones [P=0.02], while there was no significant difference in IL-1beta levels between the two groups [P=0.06]. There were no significant correlations between both TNF alpha and IL-1beta levels and blood transfusion rate [P>0.05]. The therapeutic Procedures which are followed by beta-thalassemic patients affect their TNF alpha and IL-1beta serum levels. The effects of splenectomy and iron chelation on TNF alpha levels are higher than those of IL-1beta levels, while blood transfusion has the same effect on the two cytokines