title: Increased CXCL9 serum levels in hepatitis C-related mixed cryoglobulinemia, with autoimmune thyroiditis, associated with high levels of CXCL10.
abstract: Until now, no study has evaluated CXCL9 in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection-related mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) patients in presence/absence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT). Serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 have been measured in 60 patients with MC (MCo), in 35 patients with MC and AT (MC-AT), in sex and age-matched controls: 60 healthy (Control 1); 35 patients with AT without cryoglobulinemia (Control 2). CXCL9 and CXCL10 were higher in MC-AT patients than Control 2 (P<0.0001) and MCo (P=0.01), in MCo than Control 1 (P<0.0001), and in Control 2 than Control 1 (P<0.001). By defining a high CXCL9 level as a value>2 SD above the mean value of the Control 1 (>122 pg/mL), 5% of Control 1, 34% of Control 2, 91% of MCo, and 97% of MC+AT had high CXCL9 (P<0.0001, chi-square). By simple regression analysis CXCL9 and CXCL10 were related to each other in MCo (r=0.426, P=0.001) and in MC-AT (r=0.375, P=0.001). We first demonstrate high serum levels of CXCL9 in cryoglobulinemic patients, especially with AT. Further, a strong association between serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 has been observed in patients with MC in presence/absence of AT.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa , Pisa, Italy .
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: Poupak
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fallahi
authors.forename: Silvia Martina
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colaci
authors.forename: Dilia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giuggioli
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saraceno
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benvenga
authors.forename: Clodoveo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood*; D054370:Chemokine CXCL9 / Q000097:blood*; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D054370:Chemokine CXCL9