title: [Dynamic observation of serum cytokines in patients receiving hand transplantation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes of serum levels of cytokines in patients receiving hand transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum levels of IL-2, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in 2 hand transplant recipients were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum levels, IL-2, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in the 2 patients decreased significantly during the first posttransplant week, then increased gradually to the pretransplant levels, and finally decreased and maintained the low level. The serum level of IL-10 in the patients increased significantly during the first posttransplant week, and decreased gradually to the low level. At 5 posttransplant months, the serum level of IL-10 increased moderately again.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The predominance of Th2 over Th1 confirms the efficiency of immunosuppressive drug regimens, which contribute to the survival of hand transplant. Hand transplantation does not elicit significant immune rejection. The dynamic determination of cytokines helps judge the prognosis and diagnosis of rejection in hand transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Liuhuachiao Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D063987:Hand Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015166:Monitoring, Immunologic; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma