Relations between serum essential fatty acids, cytokines [Il-6 and IL-8], apoptotic marker [SFAS], and free radicals in egyptian patients with autoimmune diseases

Eicosanoids, lymphokines, free radicals and apoptotic marker are known to participate in the pathogenesis of inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relations between free radical generation, interleukins [IL-6 and IL-8], apoptotic marker soluble Fas [sFas], and the level of essential fatty acids and their metabolites in patients with autoimmune diseases. The study was conducted on 37 patients admitted to Rheumatology Unit Hospital of Ain Shams University, in addition there was 10 control subjects. The patients suffered from different types of autoimmune diseases according to their criteria, Rheumatoid arthritis [RA], systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], systemic sclerosis [SSC] and overlap syndrome. Serum levels of total glutathione [reduced; GSH and oxidized; GSSG] were estimated by HPLC; serum MDA, IL-6, IL-8 and sFas were also assayed. In addition serum fatty acids were determined by using GLC. The inflammations resulting from the studied autoimmune diseases induced significant decrease in serum level of GSH, and marked increase in the levels of GSSG, MDA, IL-6, IL-8 and sFas whereas serum fatty acid revealed that Linoleicacid [LA] and alpha linolenic acid [ALA] were significantly decreased in the studied cases. LA metabolite [arochidonic acid; AA] is markedly increase while ALA metabolite [eicosapentaenoic; EPA] and docosahexaenoic [DHA] were significantly increased. These results suggest that essential fatty acid metabolism is altered in autoimmune diseases. The interactions between essential fatty acids, eicosanoids, lymphokines and free radicals suggest that new therapeutic strategies can be devised to modify the course of these diseases