title: Altered levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in sickle cell disease patients during vaso-occlusive crises and the steady state condition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and TGF-β in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients, and to compare the results during vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) or steady state (StSt) conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  54 SCD patients (37HbSS and 17Sβ(+)Thal) were enrolled in the study and evaluated in two groups as follows; group A consisted of 39 VOC patients and group B comprised 15 StSt patients. Nineteen healthy volunteers were included as controls. Circulating levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17,TNF-α and TGF-β were measured using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in VOC showed higher mean levels of all cytokines than those found in steady-state patients, but this was only marginally significant for IL-8 levels (P = 0.08). Increased levels of TGF-β and IL-17 were found in StSt patients versus normal controls (P = 0.004 and P<0.0001 respectively). A positive correlation was observed between IL-8 and IL-17 in both groups of patients (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005 respectively). Decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-17 were found in hydroxyurea-treated patients. Additionally, significantly higher levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were observed in hydroxyurea-treated and untreated patients than in controls respectively (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially IL-8 and IL-17, could be used as related markers for assessing disease severity, and consequently therapeutic intervention.
authors.affiliation: Thalassemia & Hemoglobinopathy research center, Ahvaz Joundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Bijan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keikhaei
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mohseni
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Norouzirad
authors.forename: Mastaneh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alinejadi
authors.forename: Somayeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghanbari
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shiravi
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solgi
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D006918:Hydroxyurea
keywords: cytokines; pro-inflammatory; sickle cell anemia