title: Interleukin-10 and apoptotic death of circulating lymphocytes in surgical/anesthesia trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between circulating interleukin-10 (IL-10) and the occurrence of lymphocyte apoptosis after surgical/anesthesia trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected prospectively on 18 adult patients undergoing elective major surgery. Blood sampling for assessment of lymphocyte apoptosis and IL-10 levels was performed on the day before surgery (t(0)) and at 24 and 96 hours after operation (t(1) and t(2), respectively). After lymphocyte isolation, quantification of apoptosis was made by staining apoptotic cells with 7-amino-actinomycin D. Plasma IL-10 concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly increased frequency of apoptotic CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells (p < 0.05) was observed at t1 measurement (8.10% +/- 0.58% and 12.21% +/- 1.47% for CD4(+) and CD8(+), respectively) compared with preoperative values (1.53% +/- 0.38% and 1.32% +/- 0.45% for CD4(+) and CD8(+), respectively). Plasma IL-10 levels showed a significant elevation at both t(1) and t(2) times, peaking at t(1). At t(1), IL-10 levels were correlated with the frequency of CD4(+) and CD8(+) apoptotic lymphocytes (r = 0.78, p = 0.0005 for IL-10 vs. apoptotic CD4(+); r = 0.71, p = 0.003 for IL-10 vs. apoptotic CD8(+)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical trauma is associated with a significant but transient increase in lymphocyte commitment to apoptosis and IL-10 production. The exact relationship linking the overproduction of IL-10 with lymphocyte apoptosis after a surgical operation is still elusive and requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. giovanna.delogu@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delogu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Famularo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tellan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonucci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marandola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Signore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D016753:Interleukin-10