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Thomas Werner^1,2, Susan M. Dombrowski^3,4, Carlos Zgheib⁵, Fouad A. Zouein⁵, Henry L. Keen⁶, Mazen Kurdi^5,7, George W. Booz⁵
European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 75-90, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0336
Abstract Microarrays do not yield direct evidence for functional connections between genes. However, transcription factors (TFs) and their binding sites (TFBSs) in promoters are important for inducing and coordinating changes in RNA levels, and thus represent the first layer of functional interaction. Similar to genes, TFs act only in context, which is why a TF/TFBS-based promoter analysis of genes needs to be done in the form of gene(TF)-gene networks, not individual TFs or TFBSs. In addition, integration of the literature and various databases (e.g. GO, MeSH, etc) allows the adding of genes relevant for the functional… More >

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Recep Bentli¹, Osman Ciftci², Asli Cetin³, Merve Unlu², Nese Basak², Mahmut Çay⁴
European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 91-96, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0337
Abstract The objective of the current study was to investigate the protective effects of hesperidin against oxidative stress, altered cytokines levels and histological changes in rats induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Rats were divided randomly into four equal groups (Control, TCDD, hesperidin and TCDD+hesperidin). TCDD and hesperidin were given by gavage, dissolved in corn oil at doses of 2 μ/kg/week and 50 mg/kg/day respectively. The blood and tissue samples were taken from all rats on the 60^th day, to be analyzed for the determination of oxidative stress, histological changes and cytokine levels. The results indicated that hesperidin prevented More >

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Hubertus Himmerich^1,a, Johannes Fischer^2,a, Katrin Bauer³, Kenneth C. Kirkby⁴, Ulrich Sack³, Ute Krügel²
European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 97-103, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0338
Abstract Stress-induced cytokine changes may be the link between stress and the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders such as depression, and organic diseases such as infections, autoimmune diseases and cancer. We tested the effect of stress on interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-22, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ serum levels in male Wistar rats. Rats underwent either acute stress by forced swimming (N = 8), chronic restraint stress (N = 8), or were not subjected to any stress (N = 8). IL-2 serum levels were significantly higher in forced swimming, but not in restraint stress… More >

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Dilek Sarici¹, Mustafa Ali Akin¹, Selim Kurtoglu¹, Ali Yikilmaz², Sabahattin Muhtaroglu³, Mehmet Adnan Ozturk¹, Tamer Gunes¹, S. Umit Sarici⁴
European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 104-109, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0339
Abstract Introduction: Adiponectin has important anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects. Although adiponectin and atherosclerosis correlate inversely in children and adults, we have little information regarding this relationship in neonates. Methods: We measured cord blood adiponectin levels and abdominal aortic intima media thickness (aIMT) in 80 healthy, term neonates and investigated the relationship between adiponectin and total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride, and their relationships to infant anthropometry and gender. Results: Mean birth weight, length, head circumference and aIMT values for male neonates were statistically significantly higher than those for female neonates. Adiponectin levels were… More >

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