title: Serum levels of interleukin-9 during acute rejection in liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin-9 (IL-9) has been cast as a player in autoimmunity, but its role in liver transplantation remains to be clarified. The aim of our study was to investigate the time course of IL-9 serum levels during hepatic allograft rejection.
  
  
  METHODS
  IL-9 serum levels were determined in 34 healthy subjects and 50 hepatic transplant recipients. The patients were divided into two groups: group I was composed of 15 patients with acute rejection episodes, and group II, 35 patients free of this problem. Samples were collected on days 1 and 7 after liver transplantation and on the day of liver biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentrations of IL-9 were similar in the rejection and nonrejection groups over the entire postoperative period. The whole transplant group, including those with stable graft function, showed higher IL-9 serum levels than the controls at all times after liver transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results suggest a lack of participation of IL-9 in human liver allograft rejection.
authors: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain. digfge@humv.es
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Fábrega
authors: M
authors: M
authors: López-Hoyos
authors: D
authors: D
authors: San Segundo
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Casafont
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Angel Mieses
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Sampedro
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Pons-Romero
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000097:blood*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508607:IL9 protein, human; D016906:Interleukin-9