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Francisco Santolaria, Carmen Rodríguez-López, Beatriz Martín-Hernández, María-Remedios Alemán-Valls, Emilio González-Reimers, María-del-Mar Alonso-Socas, Rosa Ros, Juan-José Viña
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 1-4, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0272
Abstract It is well known that alcoholics are prone to severe infections and that the immune system is impaired by chronic ethanol abuse. The aim of this study is to compare serum inflammatory mediators in response to sepsis in chronic alcoholic with sepsis, non-alcoholics with sepsis and non-infected alcoholics. Method. We included 25 alcoholics with sepsis, 34 non-alcoholics with sepsis, 34 non-infected alcoholics admitted for programmed withdrawal, and 27 healthy control subjects. After initial evaluation, blood samples were taken for determination of serum cytokine levels. Results. We found similar responses for the inflammatory mediators analyzed among More >

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Amir Jalali¹, Mohammad H. Pipelzadeh², Mohammad Taraz¹, Ali Khodadadi³, Manocher Makvandi⁴, Edward G. Rowan⁵
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 5-10, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0278
Abstract Hemiscorpius lepturus (H. lepturus), found in south-western areas of Iran and south of Iraq, is considered to be the most dangerous scorpion in the region, and poses a significant risk to the health of the indigenous population due to the unique, clinical manifestations associated with its sting.. In the present study, 36 patients from the Khuzestan province in the southwest of Iran, displaying varying degrees of envenomation following an H. lepturus scorpion sting, were admitted to hospital. Serum levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured using double-ligand, enzyme-linked, immunosorbent assay… More >

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Rob J. W. Arts¹, Leo A. B. Joosten¹, Charles A. Dinarello^1,2, Bart Jan Kullberg¹, Jos W. M. van der Meer¹, Mihai G. Netea¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 11-14, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0274
Abstract Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) is an activating receptor expressed on neutrophils and monocytes that amplifies inflammation induced by stimulation of pattern-recognition receptors. In this study, several lines of evidence are presented that TREM-1 interacts with the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) receptor complex, or is a component of this complex. Blocking anti-TREM-1 antibodies specifically inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α production, while the alternative approach of blocking TLR4 by a specific inhibitor led to a down-regulation of the effects of TREM-1 cross-linking. These data are in line with the TLR4-TREM1 co-localization in human neutrophils and More >

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Cengiz Kirmaz¹, Ozlem Ozenturk Kirgiz², Papatya Bayrak¹, Ozge Yilmaz³, Seda Vatansever⁴, Kemal Ozbilgin⁴, Ece Onur⁵, Onur Celik⁶, Ayhan Sogut³, Gungor Ay⁷, Hasan Yuksel³
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 15-23, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0277
Abstract Background. Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is characterized by a helper T (Th)2 cell-mediated immune response at the target site. There is a relative Th1 and/or regulatory T (Treg) cell insufficiency in patients with SAR. It has been demonstrated that there is a change in the balance between these cells after allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT), which is a curative treatment modality for this disease. However, there are few studies that evaluate the number and function of these cells in the inflammatory area after SIT treatment. Objective. We aimed to investigate the distribution of Th1, Th2 and Treg… More >

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Carmelo Libetta¹, Pasquale Esposito¹, Vincenzo Sepe¹, Carlo Guastoni², Manuela Zucchi³, Federica Meloni⁴, Antonio Dal Canton¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 24-31, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0280
Abstract Background. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is associated with a depression of T cell function, as suggested by the impaired production of cytokines by Th cells collected from PD patients. Although treatment biocompatibility could be implicated in this immune dysfunction, it has been poorly investigated, thus far. Therefore, we undertook a study aiming to analyze the effects of different peritoneal dialysis fluids on the Th1/Th2 balance in PD patients. Methods. Twenty three patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) were evaluated. Seven patients were on CAPD with icodextrin solution (ICO-PD), seven with glucose and lactate/bicarbonate-buffered solution (LAC/BIC-PD),… More >

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Ferhat Cekmez¹, Yasemin Cekmez², Özgür Pirgon¹, Fuat Emre Canpolat¹, Secil Aydinöz³, Osman Metin Ipcioglu⁴, Ferhan Karademir³
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 32-37, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0279
Abstract Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between four circulating adipocytokines (apelin, vaspin, visfatin, adiponectin) and markers of insulin sensitivity, in the context of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescents. Subjects and methods. 48, obese, adolescent girls (mean age: 15.6±3.4 years, mean body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS): 2.31±0.1), and 37 control subjects (mean age: 16.2±3 years, mean BMI-SDS: 2.17±0.05) were enrolled the study. The diagnosis of PCOS was established according to the Rotterdam criteria. Hyperinsulinism and insulin resistance was evaluated using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) from fasting samples.… More >

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Mehdi Bourouba¹, Assia Benyelles-Boufennara², Nadia Terki², Esma Baraka-Kerboua³, Kamel Bouzid³, Chafia Touil-Boukoffa¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 38-44, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0270
Abstract In North Africa, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is characterized by a bimodal distribution involving a juvenile (≤ 30 years old) and an elder population (>30 years old). The Epstein Barr virus oncogene LMP1, the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and the tumor suppressor p53 have recently emerged as biomarkers of the disease. EGFR/ErbB1 expression is detected in the majority of NPC tumors with advanced disease. To obtain greater insight into the potential oncogenic mechanisms specific to these two NPC populations, we examined the correlation between EGFR expression and patient age, and determined the molecular profiles of its associations… More >

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Bozena Dobrzycka¹, Slawomir J. Terlikowski¹, Oksana Kowalczuk², Marek Kulikowski³, Jacek Niklinski²
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 45-51, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0276
Abstract Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common type of uterine cancer. A dualistic model of endometrial tumorigenesis serves as a useful way of categorizing these cancers in terms of both etiology and clinical behavior. There are two types of EC: type I and type II. Type I is so-called estrogen-dependent, and appears mostly in preand perimenopausal women, it is well differentiated and therefore has a better prognosis. Type II EC is estrogenindependent, diagnosed mostly in postmenopausal women, thin and fertile women, or in women with normal menstrual cycles. It is aggressive and has a worse… More >

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Torunn O. Apelseth^1,2, Tor Hervig^1,2, Tore Wentzel-Larsen^3,4,5, Kjell Petersen⁶, Håkon Reikvam⁷, Øystein Bruserud^7,8
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 52-62, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0271
Abstract Background. Platelet concentrates contain soluble mediators derived from both platelets and contaminating leukocytes. During platelet transfusion these mediators are transferred, and transfusion-induced modulation of the cytokine network may then occur, possibly contributing to transfusion reactions, immunomodulation, or affecting residual leukemic cells. In this prospective observational study, we investigate the effect of platelet transfusion on the systemic levels of platelet-derived cytokines, chemokines and interleukins in an unselected group of acute leukaemia patients with severe chemotherapy-induced cytopenia. Study design and methods. We investigated 31 platelet transfusions involving pre-storage, white blood cell-reduced, gamma-irradiated or pathogen-inactivated, photochemically-treated platelet concentrates… More >

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Astrid Stienen^1,2, Oliver Feyen¹, Tim Niehues^1,3
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 63-72, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0273
Abstract Interleukin (IL)-7 is thought to be a non-redundant cytokine for lymphopoiesis as there is a reduction of T and B cells in peripheral blood (PB) and a loss of TCRγδ⁺ cells in PB and bone marrow (BM) in IL-7^-/- mice. To investigate whether the absence of IL-7 influences the organ-dependent distribution of the lymphocytes, we analyzed single cell suspensions of several organs (BM, lung, liver, small intestine, and spleen) at different ages (three and 12 months) of IL-7^+/+ and IL-7^-/- mice using flow cytometry; immunohistochemical staining was performed on frozen sections of various organs. We observed lymphocytopenia… More >

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Jiro Hirota¹, Shinya Shimizu¹, Atsushi Watanabe², Fumiko Suzuta³, Kazue Yajima⁴, Kumiko Kimura⁵, Makoto Haritani⁵, Shigeki Inumaru¹, Yukio Yagi⁶
European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 73-80, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0275
Abstract Three IgG class anti-bovine CXCL8 (bCXCL8) monoclonal antibody (mAb)-secreting hybridomas, SH8-8D7, SH8-12A5 and SH8-2A1, were developed. SH8-8D7 was IgG2a, and SH8-12A5 and SH8-2A1 were IgG1. All three mAbs detected recombinant bCXCL8 (rbCXCL8) by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. SH8- 2A1 could neutralise the chemotactic activity of rbCXCL8 towards neutrophils. The quantitative bCXCL8 ELISA was constituted by the combination of SH8-12A5 and biotin-SH8-2A1. The detection range was 20-1000 pg/mL. A sandwich ELISA was used to measure native bCXCL8 derived from the supernatant of cultured bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with ConA, LPS or PHA. Furthermore, SH8-2A1 More >

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