Interleukin 13 and inflammatory markers in human sepsis.
BACKGROUND
Interleukin (IL) 13 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that reduces inflammatory cytokine production, and enhances monocyte survival and MHC class II and CD23 expression. The only report of IL-13 in human sepsis noted no increase in IL-13 concentration, in contrast to animal data. This study further examined the expression of IL-13 in relation to human sepsis.


METHODS
In a prospective observational study of 31 patients (24 men) with sepsis or septic shock, high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha on admission, and on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 thereafter. IL-13 and IL-2 were assayed by standard ELISA, and HLA-DR on CD14-positive monocytes was measured by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients developed septic shock. Monocyte HLA-DR levels showed greater depression and a slower recovery in shocked than non-shocked patients. The serum IL-13 concentration was significantly higher in the shocked group from admission to day 3, but subsequently decreased to levels similar to those in the non-shocked group. IL-13 concentrations were higher in non-survivors. The TNF-alpha concentration was higher in those with septic shock than in those without. The TNF-alpha level correlated with IL-13 concentration (r(S) = 0.61, P = 0.002). The IL-13/TNF-alpha ratio was greater in patients with shock than those with sepsis only (P = 0.017). IL-2 was undetectable.


CONCLUSIONS
In human sepsis and septic shock, IL-13 correlated with TNF-alpha expression, but its effect on HLA-DR class II molecules remains unclear.
Collighan
N
N
Department of Anaesthesia, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
Giannoudis
P V
PV
Kourgeraki
O
O
Perry
S L
SL
Guillou
P J
PJ
Bellamy
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018793:Interleukin-13; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha