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Circulating Cytokines (circulating + cytokine)
Selected AbstractsNatural killer cell proliferation and circulating cytokines in patients with bilateral basal ganglia calcificationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2002T. Morishima Ten adult patients with symmetrical calcifications in the bilateral basal ganglia (diagnosed as physiological calcifications) were analyzed for lymphocyte subsets and cytokines. Increased number of natural killer (NK) cells were identified in the peripheral blood of seven patients by lymphocyte subset analysis. Tumor necrosis factor- , was detected in the sera of five patients and interferon- , was detected in one patient. In summary, NK cell propagation and circulating cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor- ,, may be involved in the etiology of basal ganglia calcification. [source] Patterns of hepatic iron distribution in patients with chronically transfused thalassemia and sickle cell disease,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 8 2009Nilesh R. Ghugre Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) appear to be at lower risk of endocrinopathies and cardiac dysfunction than those with thalassemia major (TM). Circulating redox active iron is lower in these patients, possibly due to increased systemic inflammation and circulating cytokines. Hepcidin synthesis is upregulated during chronic inflammation, reducing intestinal iron absorption and promoting retention of iron in the reticuloendothelial cells. Hence, we hypothesized that livers of patients with SCD would exhibit greater iron deposition in sinusoidal spaces relative to hepatocytes and less in portal tracts when compared to patients with TM. To test this hypothesis, iron scoring analysis was performed on 70 clinically indicated liver biopsy specimens from children and young adults with the two syndromes. Sinusoidal scores were lower in around 1 of 4 patients with TM but the relative iron loading in hepatocytes, and portal tracts was identical in both diseases. Sinusoidal iron burdens saturated at low hepatic iron concentration (HIC) while hepatocyte and portal iron depots increased proportionally to HIC. Liver fibrosis was increased in patients with TM regardless of their chronic hepatitis status. Overall, liver iron distribution was relatively insensitive to differences in disease type and to the presence or absence of hepatitis. Am. J. Hematol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Whole-body UVB (TL-01) or UVA-1 irradiation does not alter the levels of immunomodulatory cytokines in the serum of human volunteersPHOTODERMATOLOGY, PHOTOIMMUNOLOGY & PHOTOMEDICINE, Issue 2 2004P. Mcloone Background/Purpose: Ultraviolet (UV) exposure of mammalian skin induces local and systemic immunosuppression. In mice it has been proposed that systemic immunosuppression is mediated by an UV-induced cytokine cascade involving systemic interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 and a reduction in IL-12 activity. To investigate whether there was a parallel mechanism in humans we examined the effect of whole-body narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) (311,313 nm; TL-01) and ultraviolet A (UVA)-1 (340,400 nm) on serum cytokine levels. Methods/Results: In a first study, five male psoriatic subjects were whole-body irradiated with three sessions of a standard UVB (TL-01) phototherapy regimen previously shown to cause downregulation of natural killer cell activity and T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) of sera taken before and after the third session showed no effect of phototherapy on IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor-, (TNF-,). In a second study, five healthy subjects received three whole-body exposures of UVB (TL-01) and five other healthy subjects received three exposures of UVA-1 on alternate days (total 22 J/cm2). Blood samples were taken before the first irradiation and at 0, 4, 8, 12, 14, 24 and 48 h after the third irradiation. The sera were subsequently analysed for IL-10, IL-12, IL-8, IL-1, and TNF-,, by ELISA. The levels of IL-1, and TNF-, were below detection limits (<5 pg/ml), while no significant change in the levels of IL-10, IL-12 or IL-8 was detected as a result of either TL-01 or UVA-1. Conclusion: It seems unlikely that a modulation in these circulating cytokines assessed in this study accounts for systemic UV-induced immunosuppression in human subjects. [source] Human Islets Derived From Donors After Cardiac Death Are Fully BiofunctionalAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 10 2007M. Zhao Islets from brain-dead donors (BDDs) are being used in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. However, both donor numbers and islet survival are limited. We explored the clinical potential for islets from non-heart-beating donors (NHBDs), who have lower circulating cytokines, by comparing islets from 10 NHBDs against 12 identically-isolated islets from BDDs over the same time period. The quantity and quality of islets from NHBDs was good. NHBD yielded ,12.6% more islets than those of BDDs (505 000 ± 84 230 vs. 400 970 ± 172 430 islet equivalent number [IEQ]/pancreas, p = 0.01) with comparable viability. ATP and GTP contents were lower (6.026 ± 3.076 vs. 18.105 ± 7.8 nM/mg protein, p = 0.01 and 1.52 ± 0.87 vs. 3.378 ± 0.83 nM/mg protein, p = 0.04) and correlated negatively to warm ischemia time (R2= 0.8022 and R2= 0.7996, respectively). Islets from NHBDs took longer to control hyperglycemia in diabetic mice, but were equally able to sustain euglycemia. With a warm ischemia time (WIT) of ,25 min, islets from NHBDs are at least as competent as islets from BDDs and should be suitable for clinical use. [source] Is there a relationship between skin erythema and fatigue in women undergoing irradiation after breast conserving surgery for early breast cancer?ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2009A prospective study Abstract Aim: A prospective study was conducted to determine whether any relationship exits between skin erythema, fatigue and biological factors during and after adjuvant radiotherapy for early breast cancer. Methods: Breast erythema was assessed objectively using reflectance spectrophotometry. Fatigue was recorded utilising the functional assessment of cancer therapy fatigue subscale. A number of potential systemic indicators (biological factors) of the effects of radiotherapy was measured, including circulating cytokines, coagulation factors, peripheral blood indices and biochemistry. Measurements for erythema, fatigue and biological factors were taken at baseline and intervals during and following completion of radiotherapy. Results: A total of 52 eligible patients was included in the analysis. Breast erythema was shown to progressively increase during treatment, peaking on day 36 and returning to baseline by 4 months post-irradiation. Fatigue also progressively increased during treatment, reaching a plateau between day 22 and 2 weeks post-radiotherapy. A statistically significant association was demonstrated between total breast erythema and fatigue at days 4, 8, 22 and 29 of irradiation and 2 and 6 weeks post-radiotherapy. When only the increase in erythema attributable to radiotherapy was considered, statistically significant associations remained for day 4 of irradiation and 2 and 6 weeks post-radiotherapy. When multiple time points were considered together, an association between increased erythema and fatigue was present only post-radiotherapy. No relationship was demonstrated between the biological factors and erythema or fatigue during radiotherapy. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant and consistent relationship between radiotherapy-induced breast erythema and fatigue, particularly in the period immediately following breast irradiation. [source] Cytokine levels in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and long-term growth and neurodevelopmentACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 3 2010A Lodha Abstract Objective:, To investigate if circulating cytokines are related to growth and neurodevelopmental outcome following necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Study design:, Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were measured prospectively in 40 neonates and compared with neurodevelopmental outcome. Cytokine levels were measured at the onset of feeding intolerance (Group II, n = 17) or NEC (Group III, n = 10) and at weeks 2,3 in control infants (Group I, n = 13). Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed at the age of 24,28 months. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and Student t -test. Results:, Median birth weights (range) in groups I, II and III were 1120 (525,1564) g, 1068 (650,1937) g and 1145 (670,2833) g, and median gestational ages (range) were 28 (24,35) weeks 28 (24,35) weeks and 28 (25,37) weeks respectively. NEC occurred in 10 infants. Serum IL-6 (interleukin-6) was elevated in group III, (p = 0.03). Significant developmental delay was found in 12% of the infants in Group II and 20% of the infants in Group III, but no infant in group I. Five infants in group III with NEC (50%), had head ultrasound abnormalities. At 1 year of age, growth, weight and head circumference were significantly different in Group III, however, at two years of age, only height was significantly different, p < 0.02. Although there was wide variation, neonatal cytokine levels tended to be greater in the infants later found to have abnormal cognitive and psychomotor outcomes. Conclusion:, This study suggests that increased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines may play a role in the poor growth and neurodevelopment associated with this high-risk population. [source] Relationship between periodontal infections and systemic diseaseCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 2007G. J. Seymour Abstract Oral conditions such as gingivitis and chronic periodontitis are found worldwide and are among the most prevalent microbial diseases of mankind. The cause of these common inflammatory conditions is the complex microbiota found as dental plaque, a complex microbial biofilm. Despite 3000 years of history demonstrating the influence of oral status on general health, it is only in recent decades that the association between periodontal diseases and systemic conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke, and a higher risk of preterm low birth-weight babies, has been realised. Similarly, recognition of the threats posed by periodontal diseases to individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes, respiratory diseases and osteoporosis is relatively recent. Despite these epidemiological associations, the mechanisms for the various relationships remain unknown. Nevertheless, a number of hypotheses have been postulated, including common susceptibility, systemic inflammation with increased circulating cytokines and mediators, direct infection and cross-reactivity or molecular mimicry between bacterial antigens and self-antigens. With respect to the latter, cross-reactive antibodies and T-cells between self heat-shock proteins (HSPs) and Porphyromonas gingivalis GroEL have been demonstrated in the peripheral blood of patients with atherosclerosis as well as in the atherosclerotic plaques themselves. In addition, P. gingivalis infection has been shown to enhance the development and progression of atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice. From these data, it is clear that oral infection may represent a significant risk-factor for systemic diseases, and hence the control of oral disease is essential in the prevention and management of these systemic conditions. [source] | ||||||||||