title: LPS-induced IL-10 production in whole blood cultures from chronic fatigue syndrome patients is increased but supersensitive to inhibition by dexamethasone.
abstract: Several causes have been held responsible for the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), including an altered hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA)-axis activity, viral infections and a reduced Th1 activity. Therefore, it was investigated whether the regulation of IL-10 is different in CFS. LPS-induced cytokine secretion in whole blood cultures showed a significant increase in IL-10 and a trend towards a decrease in IL-12 as compared with healthy controls. In patients and controls, IL-12 secretion was equally sensitive to suppression by dexamethasone, whereas IL-10 secretion appeared more sensitive in CFS-patients. In controls, IL-10 and IL-12 secretion were inversely correlated with free serum cortisol (r=-0.492, p<0.02 and r=-0.434, p<0.05, respectively). In CFS, such an inverse correlation was found for IL-12 (r=-0.611, p<0.02) but not for IL-10 (r=-0.341, ns). These data are suggestive for a disturbed glucocorticoid regulation of IL-10 in CFS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunological and Infectious Diseases, TNO Prevention and Health, P.O. Box 2215, 2301 CE, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Graffelman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blauw
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Haspels
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lentjes
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: de Kloet
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nagelkerken
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone