title: High serum levels of CXCL11 in mixed cryoglobulinemia are associated with increased circulating levels of interferon-γ.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No study has evaluated circulating chemokine C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL)11 in patients with "mixed cryoglobulinemia and chronic hepatitis C infection" (MC+HCV). We measured CXCL11, and correlated this measurement to the clinical phenotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum CXCL11, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assayed in 97 MC+HCV patients and in 97 sex- and age-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MC+HCV patients showed significantly higher mean CXCL11 serum levels than controls (254 ± 295, 68 ± 16 pg/ml, respectively; p = 0.0002; ANOVA). CXCL11 was significantly increased in 36 cryoglobulinemic patients with compared to those without active vasculitis (303 ± 208 vs 179 ± 62 pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.001; ANOVA). IFN-γ levels were significantly higher in MC+HCV than in controls [6.1 (range 0.8-114.5), 1.4 (range 0.7-2.4) pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test]. Serum TNF-α mean levels were significantly higher in MC+HCV than in controls [13.4 (range 1.8-369), 1.1 (range 0.7-3.2) pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.0001; Mann-Whitney U test]. A multiple regression analysis considering CXCL11 as a dependent variable, and age, alanine aminotransferase, IFN-γ, and TNF-α as independent variables, showed in MC+HCV patients a significant association only with IFN-γ (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates markedly high serum levels of CXCL11 in patients with MC+HCV compared to healthy controls overall in the presence of active vasculitis. A strong relationship between circulating IFN-γ and CXCL11 was shown, strongly supporting the role of a T helper 1 immune response in the pathogenesis of MC+HCV.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, School of Medicine, Via Roma, 67, I-56100, Pisa, Italy. alessandro.antonelli@med.unipi.it
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Antonelli
authors: Clodoveo
authors: C
authors: Ferri
authors: Silvia Martina
authors: SM
authors: Ferrari
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Ruffilli
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Colaci
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Frascerra
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Miccoli
authors: Ferdinando
authors: F
authors: Franzoni
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Galetta
authors: Poupak
authors: P
authors: Fallahi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D054371:Chemokine CXCL11 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C515202:CXCL11 protein, human; D054371:Chemokine CXCL11; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma