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 >

Cihan Meral¹, Ferhat Cekmez², Sebahattin Vurucu², Emre Tascılar², Ozgur Pirgon¹, F. Emre Canpolat², Osman Metin Ipcioglu³, Gokhan Aydemir¹, Secil Aydınoz¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.2, pp. 118-122, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0284

Abstract Aim. To investigate the relationship between the newly discovered adipocytokines and increasing body weight (paralleled by increased insulin resistance), and antiepileptic drug therapy with valproic acid (VPA). Design and methods. 44 children with idiopathic, generalized epilepsy treated with valproic acid (VPA), and 40 control group children were included in this study. Results. Both the VPA-treated group and the control group showed no significant difference in terms of age, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Subjects in the VPA group had significantly higher BMI-SDS than control subjects (2.3±0.15 vs-0.04±0.8, p<0.001). HOMA-IR, apelin and visfatin levels were significantly increased More >

Ali Hossein Mesgarzadeh¹, Ali Akbar Abolfathi², Saeed Dastgiri³, Maghsod Shaaker^2,4, Amir Mansour Vatankhah⁵, Shiva Solehakahnamoiee¹, Masoud Darabi²

European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.2, pp. 103-106, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0286

Abstract The clinical evaluation and management of impacted third molars remain challenging. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible associations between follicular tissue cytokines and radiographic manifestations of impacted third molar. The population included 72 patients who underwent surgical extraction of impacted third molars. All these patients underwent a preliminary panoramic radiograph. Levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in tissue extracts were determined using ELISA. There were no significant differences between bony and tissue impaction as regards IL-1β, IL-6 and TGF-β levels. Moreover, the same results More >

Lara Garabedian¹, Sofie Struyf², Ghislain Opdenakker², Silvano Sozzani³, Jo Van Damme², Geneviève Laureys¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.3, pp. 148-153, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0290

Abstract Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterized by an abnormal accumulation and/or proliferation of cells with a Langerhans cell phenotype. Although no clear cause of LCH has been identified, it has been postulated that LCH might be the consequence of an immune dysregulation, causing Langerhans cells to migrate to and accumulate at various sites. Production of cytokines and chemokines is a central feature of immune regulation. Cytokines are abundantly present within LCH lesions. We review here the potential role of cytokines and chemokines in the pathogenesis of LCH. The type, distribution, and number More >

Diana Boraschi¹, Davide Lucchesi¹, Stefan Hainzl², Maria Leitner², Elisabeth Maier², Doris Mangelberger², Gertie J. Oostingh², Tobias Pfaller², Claudia Pixner², Gernot Posselt², Paola Italiani¹, Marcel F. Nold^3,4, Claudia A. Nold-Petry^3,4, Philip Bufler⁵, Charles A. Dinarello³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.3, pp. 127-47, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0288

Abstract The IL-1 family of cytokines encompasses eleven proteins that each share a similar β-barrel structure and bind to Ig-like receptors. Some of the IL-1-like cytokines have been well characterised, and play key roles in the development and regulation of inflammation. Indeed, IL-1α (IL-1F1), IL-1β (IL-1F2), and IL-18 (IL-1F4) are well-known inflammatory cytokines active in the initiation of the inflammatory reaction and in driving Th1 and Th17 inflammatory responses. In contrast, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra, IL-1F3) and the receptor antagonist binding to IL-1Rrp2 (IL-36Ra, IL-1F5) reduce inflammation by blocking the binding of the agonist receptor ligands.… More >

Cane Tulic^1,a, Miodrag Lazic^2,a, Emina Savic^3,a, Dusan Popadic³, Jelena Djukic¹, Dusan Spasic², Milos Markovic³, Zorica Ramic³, Marija Mostarica-Stojkovic³, Vladimir Trajkovic³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.22, No.4, pp. 169-174, 2011, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2011.0292

Abstract The aim of the study was to correlate the preoperative activity of Th1 and Th17 cytokine axes with the development of sepsis after radical cystectomy. The study involved twenty patients with the infiltrative transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder without previous radiotherapy/chemotherapy, who underwent open radical cystectomy with urinary diversion. Preoperative plasma concentrations of Th1 cytokines interleukin 12 (IL-12) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and Th17 cytokines IL-23 and IL-17, were measured using ELISA. Preoperative expression of mRNA for IL-12p35, IFN-γ, IL-23p19 and IL-17 was quantified by real-time RT-PCR using mRNA extracted from peripheral blood… More >

Luisa Vega¹, Julia Barbado¹, Raquel Almansa^1,2, Rocío González-Gallego¹, Lucía Rico², Antonio Jimeno¹, Mercedes Nocito², Raúl Ortiz de Lejarazu², Jesus F. Bermejo-Martin²

European Cytokine Network, Vol.21, No.1, pp. 71-76, 2010, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0176

Abstract The pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is far from having been elucidated at the molecular level. Using a multiplex system, we profiled 18 immune mediators in the plasma from 57 patients with SLE. Thirteen of them showed mild to moderate disease activity, and 29 showed severe activity, based upon the SLEDAI score. Fifteen patients were in complete clinical remission. Those patients with active disease, and those in clinical remission had been undergoing immunomodulatory treatment for an average of 10.7 months and 19.2 months respectively at the time of the visit. Samples obtained from 10… More >

Knut Liseth¹, Malvin Sjo², Kristin Paulsen³, Øystein Bruserud^2,3, Elisabeth Ersvaer³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.21, No.1, pp. 40-49, 2010, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0181

Abstract Previous studies of T cell reconstitution following allogeneic stem cell transplantation have described long-lasting T cell defects, including decreased levels of autocrine proliferating CD4+ T cells. However, T cell functions during the early phase of conditioning-induced, pre-engraftment pancytopenia have not been characterized previously. We used a whole blood assay to investigate T cell proliferation and cytokine release during the period of pre-engraftment cytopenia. The study included 13 acute leukemia patients receiving mye-loablative conditioning followed by transplantation of G-CSF-mobilised peripheral blood stem cells derived from HLA-matched family donors. Maximal proliferation and cytokine release could not be… More >

Johannes Nemeth^1,3, Heide-Maria Winkler¹, Franz Karlhofer², Nicole Selenko-Gebauer², Wolfgang Graninger¹, Stefan Winkler¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.21, No.1, pp. 34-39, 2010, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0182

Abstract Patients treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-antagonizing medication are at increased risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB), brought about mainly by reactivation of latent infection. Thus, screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) prior to administration of anti-TNF-α-therapy is required. For a long time, the tuberculin skin test (TST) was the only means of diagnosing LTBI, however, interferon-gamma-release assays (IGRAs), are promising new tools. Fifty two patients with dermatological disorders were included prior to imple-mentation of anti-TNF-α therapy. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific cytokine production, including interferon (IFN)-γ, TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10, was measured in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T… More >

Marta Suárez-Santamaría¹, Francisco Santolaria², Alina Pérez-Ramírez², María-Remedios Alemán-Valls², Antonio Martínez-Riera², Emilio González-Reimers², María-José de la Vega¹, Antonio Milena¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.21, No.1, pp. 19-26, 2010, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2009.0185

Abstract Objective. Procalcitonin is useful for the diagnosis of sepsis, but its prognostic value regarding mortality is unclear. Our objective was to determine the prognostic value of procalcitonin determined at the onset of sepsis, and to compare it with other markers of inflammatory response, malnutrition and organ dys-function data. Methods. We studied 253 hospitalized patients (146 men, 107 women) with a median age of 65 years. Sepsis was defined as infection, and at least two SIRS criteria. We assessed co-morbidities, nutritional status, bacteremia, procalcitonin and other inflammatory markers (PCR, TNF-α, IL6, TREM-1, IL-10, IL-1ra, CD14 and… More >