Serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha in mixed cryoglobulinemia.
OBJECTIVE
No single previous study has evaluated serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia (HCV-MC). This study was undertaken to evaluate serum levels of these cytokines in patients with HCV-MC.


METHODS
Serum IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNFalpha were assayed in 43 patients with HCV-MC, in 43 sex- and age-matched patients with chronic HCV without cryoglobulinemia, and in 43 sex- and age-matched controls.


RESULTS
HCV-MC patients showed significantly higher mean IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNFalpha levels than did the controls (P<0.01) or the HCV patients (P<or=0.04). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNFalpha were significantly higher in HCV patients than in controls (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate elevated serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNFalpha in patients with HCV-MC. If the importance of IL-1beta and IL-6 in the pathogenesis of MC is confirmed, these results will open the way for the evaluation of new therapies for MC.
Antonelli
Alessandro
A
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Pisa, Italy. a.antonelli@med.unipi.it
Ferri
Clodoveo
C
Ferrari
Silvia Martina
SM
Ghiri
Emiliano
E
Goglia
Fernando
F
Pampana
Alessandro
A
Bruschi
Fabrizio
F
Fallahi
Poupak
P
D000368:Aged; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D016207:Cytokines; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha