title: Elevation of IL-18 in human sepsis.
abstract: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a recently identified immunoregulatory cytokine that shares biochemical features with IL-1beta and acts in part by inducing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Endotoxic bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 or 2 ng/kg) was insufficient to increase plasma IL-18 in five healthy adults measured 3, 12, and 24 hr following challenge. In contrast, in the first 96 hr of admission to the surgical intensive care unit, mean maximal serum IL-18 was elevated (1,122 +/- 259 pg/ml) in nine septic patients compared to six healthy adults (191 +/- 42 pg/ml), P < 0.01). Serum IL-18 concentrations in septic patients did not correlate with other measured inflammatory mediators: tumor necrosis factor, IL-6, IL-10, or secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor. Therefore, IL-18 circulates in healthy adults and is a component of the human systemic inflammatory response. Further, stimuli other than LPS may induce IL-18 production in vivo in human sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Grobmyer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rivadeneira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Barie
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Nathan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020382:Interleukin-18; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides