ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The balance between T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) signature cytokines plays a critical role in the immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Th1 to Th2 cytokine ratio in healthy persons and patients with cirrhotic hepatitis and to investigate changes in the Th1 to Th2 cytokine ratio during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) surgery. METHODS: Eighty patients were allocated to each of the donor and recipient groups. In the recipient group, signature cytokines-interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) as Th1 and interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) as Th2-were quantified after induction of anesthesia (baseline, stage 1), 60 minutes after the start of the anhepatic phase (stage 2), and 60 minutes after reperfusion (stage 3). In the donor group, cytokine levels were analyzed only at stage 1. The Th1/Th2 cytokine ratios at baseline and over time during surgery in the recipient group were evaluated. RESULTS: At stage 1, the recipient group exhibited higher levels of all cytokines than the donor group. However, the IFN-γ/IL-6, IFN-γ/IL-10, TNF-α/IL-6, and TNF-α/IL-10 ratios of the groups were comparable. The levels of all cytokines, except IFN-γ, increased during LDLT. The IFN-γ/IL-6, IFN-γ/IL-10, TNF-α/IL-6, and TNF-α/IL-10 ratios declined significantly during LDLT. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative Th1/Th2 cytokine ratios were similar in healthy persons and patients with cirrhotic hepatitis. During LDLT surgery, Th2 activity was enhanced, as indicated by a shift in the Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio toward Th2.
Subject(s)
Cytokines/immunology , Liver Transplantation , Living Donors , Th1 Cells/immunology , Th2 Cells/immunology , Adult , Cytokines/blood , Female , Humans , Interferon-gamma/blood , Interferon-gamma/immunology , Interleukin-10/blood , Interleukin-10/immunology , Interleukin-6/blood , Interleukin-6/immunology , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunologyABSTRACT
Our previous studies, using cDNA microarray and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, showed that acetylcholinesterase T subunit (AChET) gene was more abundantly expressed in the hypothalamus of the responder rats that were sensitive to electroacupuncture (EA) in the tail flick latency (TFL) test than in that of the non-responder rats that were insensitive to EA. In this study, we hypothesized that the expression of the AChET gene in the hypothalamus modulates EA analgesia in rats. To explore the hypothesis, we constructed an AChET-encoding adenovirus and a control virus expressing only green fluorescence protein, either of which was then injected into the hypothalamus of Sprague-Dawley rats. The hypothalamic activity of acetylcholinesterase was significantly higher in rats that were injected with the AChET virus than in rats that were injected with the control virus. The basal pain threshold measured by a TFL test was not changed by microinjection of AChET or control virus into the hypothalamus when EA treatment was not conducted. However, the analgesic effect of EA was significantly enhanced from 7 days after microinjection of the AChET virus into the hypothalamus but not after injection of the control virus. Furthermore, expression of the AChET in the hypothalamus did not affect body core temperature, body weight, motor function or learning and memory ability. Taken together, these results suggest that adenoviral expression of the AChET gene in the hypothalamus potentiates EA analgesia in rats without apparent side-effects.
