IL-21 and other serum proinflammatory cytokine levels in patients with multiple myeloma at diagnosis.
BACKGROUND
IL-6, IL1-β, TNF-α and IL-21 have been identified in the growth, progression and dissemination of multiple myeloma. To dte, there is no published data about serum levels of IL-21 in patients with multiple myeloma. In the present study we have investigated circulating levels of cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-21 and the association of these levels with the disease stage in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.


METHODS
Twenty healthy controls and 44 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients were evaluated. Patients were classified according to Durie-Salmon criteria, international staging system (ISS) and bone disease. Quantification of cytokine levels in serum were performed by using ELISA.


RESULTS
The levels of cytokines in patients' serum are found elevated than healthy controls. However, only the serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were found statistically significant. TNF-α levels of patients with ISS stage 3 were significantly higher than patients with ISS stage 1 and 2 (P 0.000). IL-1β was significantly elevated in advanced stage patients (stage II-III) (P 0.040). There was no correlation between IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-21 levels and bone lesions. IL-6 levels were significantly elevated who have at least three visible lytic bone lesions and/or bone fracture in comparison to patients who have one or two visible or no visible lytic bone lesions (P 0.048).


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that there is no association of serum IL-21 level with multiple myeloma in contrast to the other cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α.
Department of Haematology, Kocaeli University Medical Faculty, Kocaeli, Turkey.
O
O
Mehtap
E B
EB
Atesoglu
P
P
Tarkun
A
A
Hacihanefioglu
I
I
Dolasik
M M
MM
Musul
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D000098546:Interleukin-21
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000098546:Interleukin-21