[Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathic pain and the correlation among them].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the change of serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines: macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin 6 (IL-6), in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) and their role in the pathogenesis of related diseases.


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples were collected from 28 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) without complications, and gender ratio- and age-matched 32 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), 28 patients with DPNP, and 28 normal controls. Dual-antibody ELISA was used to detect the serum MIF, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 levels.


RESULTS
The serum MIF, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 levels of the DM, DPN, and DPNP groups were all significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0. 001, P < 0.05). The serum MIF and TNF-alpha levels of the DPN and DPNP groups were all significantly higher than those of the DM group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001), while there were not significant differences in the serum MIF and TNF-alpha levels between the DPN and DPNP groups (both P > 0.05). There was not significant difference in the serum IL-6 level among the DM, DPN, and DPNP groups as well (all P > 0.05). The correlation analysis show that the levels of MIF, TNF-alpha and IL-6 each other were positively correlated (r = 0.337, P < 0.01; r = 0.216, P < 0.001; r = 0.281, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The serum pro-inflammatory cytokines MIF, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 levels play an important role in the pathogenesis of DM and DPN, but may not play an important role in the development of DPNP.
Yu
Li-Ning
LN
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Yang
Xiao-Su
XS
Hua
Zan
Z
Xie
Wen
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha