title: Increased serum levels of interleukin-18, -23 and -17 in Chinese patients with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-18, IL-23 and IL-17 in Chinese patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and explore correlations between the three cytokines and relevant parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum concentrations of IL-18, IL-23 and IL-17 were measured by ELISA for 53 AD patients and 53 sex- and age-matched healthy controls in a community of elderly individuals in a Shanghai suburb.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum concentrations of IL-18, IL-23 and IL-17 were significantly higher in AD patients than controls. The serum level of IL-23 was observed to be significantly higher (p = 0.049) in female AD patients than male AD patients. In addition, a significantly inverse correlation was found between IL-18 and MMSE score (rs = -0.356, p = 0.011) for all AD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated IL-18, IL-23 and IL-17 levels are observed in AD patients and differences may exist between males and females. Besides, IL-18 may correlate with the severity of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital affiliated with the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University,, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Mei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-Xin
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Qing-Wei
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D020382:Interleukin-18; D053759:Interleukin-23