title: IL-15 levels in patients with acute hepatic failure.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-15, an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, causes liver injury in mice. We determined levels of IL-15, IL-6, and IL-18 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in 20 patients with acute hepatic failure and examined relationship between these proinflammatory cytokines and IL-15. A significant correlation was observed between the levels of IL-18 and IL-15 (p = 0.0118). IL-15 levels in the nonsurvivors were significantly higher than those in the survivors (p = 0.0357). Our results suggest that IL-15 overexpression may cause liver injury in human.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medicine, Division of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita 010-8543, Japan. yone-c@sc4.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yonekawa
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakae
authors.forename: Ya-Juan
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kimitaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tajimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001550:Benzamidines; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006146:Guanidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006440:Hemofiltration; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000097:blood*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001550:Benzamidines; D006146:Guanidines; D019409:Interleukin-15; D020382:Interleukin-18; D001663:Bilirubin; C032855:nafamostat