title: IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in heart valves from patients with infective endocarditis.
abstract: The embedding of bacteria in the vegetation of infective endocarditis impedes the penetration of phagocytic cells. IL-8 has a stimulating effect on the immune system, particularly with respect to chemotaxis and activation of granulocytes. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is 1 of the major proinflammatory cytokines. IL-8 and TNF-alpha were visualized by means of immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded heart valve biopsies from 6 patients with infective endocarditis who required cardiac surgery during the active phase of the infection. In 5/6 patients there were signs of inflammation, and in these patients IL-8- and TNF-alpha-containing cells were visualized in the heart valve stromas or vegetations. The largest numbers of IL-8-containing cells, and the greatest amount of inflammation, were seen in patients with short preoperative treatment courses. No such relationships were seen with respect to TNF-alpha-containing cells. These observations may suggest that the occurrence of IL-8-containing cells in infected heart valves could be used as a marker of disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Linköping, Sweden. Christer.Ekdahl@inf.liu.se
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ekdahl
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broqvist
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franzén
authors.forename: Olof
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ljunghusen
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maller
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha