title: RANTES in onchocerciasis: changes with ivermectin treatment.
abstract: Adverse reactions are seen relatively frequently after treatment of onchocerciasis patients with ivermectin. The chemokines RANTES and IL-8, which have both chemotactic and activation properties for eosinophils and neutrophils, respectively, may have a role in the pathogenesis of post-treatment reactions. Circulating levels of the chemokines and the cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-6 were measured in the plasma of 22 Onchocerca volvulus-infected subjects. Peaks of mean circulating levels of RANTES and TNF-alpha were seen at 6 h after ivermectin administration. Peripheral eosinophil counts declined at 36 h post-treatment and an early peak in RANTES levels was associated with a delay in peripheral eosinopenia. RANTES levels were negatively correlated with severity of rash (P < 0.001) and lymphoedema (P < 0.05), suggesting that high circulating levels of RANTES may inhibit eosinophil sequestration. No changes in circulating levels of IL-8 were seen. These findings suggest a possible role of circulating RANTES in modulating eosinophil sequestration in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Guderian
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Remick
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Espinel
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Nutman
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007559:Ivermectin