title: [Changes of the content of Se and the levels of several cytokines in the serum of patients with Kaschin-Beck disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the levels of selenium (Se) and several cytokines (TNF-alpha, VEGF and IL-1beta) in the serum of patients with Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  90 subjects were selected, from KBD areas and non-KBD areas of Lhasa, Tibet. Then they were divided into 3 groups: the group with KBD (30), the control in KBD areas (30), and the control in non-KBD areas (30). There was no obvious difference in sex and age in the three groups. The content of Se in the serum was detected by atomic fluorescent spectrometer and the level of cytokines (TNF-alpha, VEGF and IL-1beta) in the serum were detected by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The content of Se in the serum of persons living in the KBD-disease areas were lower than that of persons living in non-KBD disease areas. The levels of TNF-alpha, VEGF and IL-beta in KBD group were higher than those in normal control group (P<0.05). The content of Se had negative correlation with the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-beta in serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decrease of Se content and increase of the levels of TNF-alpha, VEGF and IL-1beta may play a role in pathogenesis of KBD.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Life Science Base, Tibet National College, Xianyang 712082, China. klongli@163.com
authors.forename: Long-li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Feng-chang
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Feng-ying
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yin-gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000097:blood*; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D012643:Selenium