Open Access

ARTICLE

IL-17, IL-10, IL-6, and IFN-γ in Egyptian Behçet’s disease: correlation with clinical manifestations

Roba M. Talaat¹, Hiba Sibaii², Iman H. Bassyouni³, Amany El-Wakkad⁴

1 Molecular Biology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), University of Sadat City, Egypt.
2 National Research Centre (NRC), Medical Physiology Department, Egypt
3 Cairo University, Faculty of Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Cairo, Egypt
4 National Research Centre (NRC) , Medical physiology Department, Egypt.

* Corresponding Author: H. Sibaii,

European Cytokine Network 2019, 30(1), 15-22. https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2019.0421

Accepted 17 January 2019;

Abstract

There are a limited number of studies that report the polarization of the immune system toward the production of T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, or Th17-type cytokines in patients with Behçet’s disease (BD). Here, we aimed to detect the presence of various cytokines in serum samples of Egyptian BD patients and to determine the correlation between their production levels and clinical manifestations. To that aim, serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, and IL-17 measured by ELISA were determined in BD patients with active or inactive disease to evaluate their clinical relevance. The results of the present study show significantly elevated levels of IL-17 and IL-6, as well as a reduction in IL-10, and no change in IFN-γ, in sera of BD patients, as compared to the healthy control group. Moreover, IL-6 serum levels were increased in BD patients in active stages of disease and correlated with arthritic manifestations. On the other hand, IL10 serum levels were significantly decreased in patients with gastrointestinal tract complications. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between IL-10 serum levels and ocular manifestations in BD patients, in contrast to those of IL-17, showing no correlation with the different clinical manifestations. Taken together, the magnitude of IL-6 serum levels could be a potential marker for arthritic manifestations and disease activity, whereas those of IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-17 cannot be considered predictors for different clinical manifestations in patients with BD.

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Keywords

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