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REVIEW

Marco Presta, Germán Andrés, Daria Leali, Patrizia Dell’Era, Roberto Ronca
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 39-50, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0155
Abstract Angiogenesis and inflammation are closely integrated processes in a number of physiological and pathological conditions, including wound healing, psoriasis, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, arteriosclero-sis, and cancer. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) belongs to the family of the heparin-binding FGF growth factors. FGF2 exerts its pro-angiogenic activity by interacting with various endothelial cell surface receptors, including tyro-sine kinase receptors, heparan-sulfate proteoglycans, and integrins. Elevated levels of FGF2 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases characterized by a deregulated angiogenic/inflammatory response. FGF2 induces the expression of a wide repertoire of inflammation-related genes in endothelial cells, including More >

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REVIEW

Marina Trouillas, Claire Saucourt, Bertrand Guillotin, Xavier Gauthereau, Jean-Luc Taupin, Jean-François Moreau, Hélène Bœuf
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 51-62, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0148
Abstract The aim of this article is to recapitulate the key features of leukaemia inhibitory factor cytokine (LIF), to review its numerous physiological effects and to comment on the most recent data. We will also pres-ent results of transcriptome analyses, which have highlighted different categories of LIF targets, identified in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells and early derivatives. We hope to stimulate new research fields on this puz-zling cytokine, which, forty years after its discovery, has still not disclosed all its secrets. More >

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ARTICLE

Manel Amri, Dalila Mezioug, Chafia Touil-Boukoffa
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 63-68, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0154
Abstract Human echinococcosis is one of the world’s major zoonotic infections. In this study, our aim is to clarify one of the strategies used by the parasite for evasion and prolonged infestation in the host. We wished to provide further immunological evidence for the involvement of IL-10/IL-4 in these mechanisms. In this regard, we investigated the effects of IL-4 and IL-10 on protoscoleces (PSC: the larval form of the parasite), co-cultured with patient PBMC. Furthermore, we used IL-4 and IL-10 antibodies to confirm this effect. Our results showed that IL-4 and IL-10 reduced PSC killing. This More >

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ARTICLE

Majid Mahmoodi^1,2, Asghar Aghamohammadi^3,4, Nima Rezaei^3,4, Mahboob Lessan-Pezeshki⁵, Gholamreza Pourmand⁶, Mohammad-Ali Mohagheghi¹, Sina Abdollahzade⁴, Alireza Mousavi-Jarrahi¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 69-74, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0153
Abstract Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or on dialysis are at greater risk of infection, which might be due to a defective immune function. While there are controversial reports on efficacy of vaccination in this group of patients, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antibody response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in CKD patients. Sixty-six patients with CKD and 40 healthy individuals were vaccinated with PPV23. Blood samples were taken before and four weeks after vaccination. Specific antibodies against whole pneumococcal antigens were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.… More >

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ARTICLE

Verena Wiegering¹, Matthias Eyrich¹, Christian Wunder², Helga Günther², Paul G. Schlegel¹, Beate Winkler¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 75-80, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0149
Abstract Cytokine production by human lymphocytes from healthy children (ages 0-18 years) was assessed using a flow cytometric procedure involving staining of intracellular cytokines by the paraformaldehyde-saponin procedure. To establish valid cytokine values for intracellular cytokine expression in healthy children in the different age groups, we measured 117 samples after 24 h in vitro stimulation with PMA, ionomycin and brefeldin followed by staining with intracellular anti-cytokine and surface antibodies. We found decreasing IL-2 expression, increasing IFN-γ and TNF-α production and stable IL-4, Ki67 and TGFb levels with advancing age. The cytokines were mainly produced by memory More >

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ARTICLE

Lukas A. Berchtold^1,2, Claus M. Larsen², Allan Vaag², Mirjam Faulenbach³, Christopher T. Workman⁴, Mogens Kruhøffer⁵, Marc Donath³, Thomas Mandrup-Poulsen^1,2,6
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 81-87, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0152
Abstract Background. We have previously reported that systemic blockade of IL-1β in patients with type 2 diabetes with anakinra (a recombinant human interleukin-1-receptor antagonist, IL-1Ra), lowered glycated hemoglobin improved beta-cell function and reduced circulating levels of IL-6 and CRP (7). To investigate the effects of IL-1Ra in insulin-sensitive tissue, gene expression levels in skeletal muscle from type 2 diabetic patients treated with IL-1Ra were analysed. Methods. Gene expression profiles in vastus lateralis muscle biop-sies from five obese patients (BMI >27) were determined before and after 13 weeks of treatment with IL-1Ra (anakinra) using Affymetrix U133Plus2.0 GeneChips.… More >

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ARTICLE

Calin Popa^1,2, Pilar Barrera², Leo A. B. Joosten^1,2,3, Piet L. C. M. van Riel², Bart-Jan Kullberg^1,3, Jos W. M. van der Meer^1,3, Mihai G. Netea^1,3
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 88-83, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0150
Abstract Infectious complications are not rare in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the susceptibility to infec-tions is increased during treatment with TNF blocking agents. As a possible mechanism contributing to that, we assessed the modulation of cytokine production induced by TNF neutralization. Methods. Whole blood cultures from six healthy volunteers and 13 RA patients starting therapy with either adalimumab (n = 7) or etanercept (n = 6) were stimulated with heat-killed Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus or with S. typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The production of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL10, IL-17, TNF, IL-8 and IFN-γ was measured by specific immunoassays. Results. Stimulation … More >

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ERRATUM

Caroll J. Beltrán^1,2, Enzo Candia¹, Benjamín Erranz¹, Carolina Figueroa³, Maria J. Gonzalez⁴, Rodrigo Quera^3,5, Marcela A. Hermoso¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.20, No.2, pp. 94-94, 2009, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0151
Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

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