title: Serum cytokine and chemokine profiles in patients with alopecia areata.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most evidence supports the role of altered T cell-mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA). Tough cytokines and chemokines play an important role in the immune process of AA, their expressions have been examined in limited studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine serum cytokine levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-23, and some of the Th1-(CXCL9), Th2-(CCL17), and Th17-associated (CCL20 and CCL27) chemokines in patients with AA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with AA and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum concentrations of cytokines and chemokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-23, CXCL9, CCL17, CCL20, and CCL27 in AA patients were significantly higher than in the controls. However, with logistic regression analyses, only CCL17 and CCL27 levels showed a positive relationship, and IL-23 levels showed a negative relationship, with the presence of AA. Furthermore, serum CCL27 levels were positively correlated with AA severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that CCL17 and CCL27 may have an aggravating effect, whereas IL-23 may have a protective effect for the development of AA. Additionally, serum CCL27 levels may be useful as marker of disease severity.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology and.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bilgic
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry , School of Medicine, Selcuk University , Konya , Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sivrikaya
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry , School of Medicine, Selcuk University , Konya , Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unlu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology and.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Altinyazar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D054414:Chemokine CCL17 / Q000097:blood; D054425:Chemokine CCL27 / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C106230:CCL17 protein, human; C492276:CCL27 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D054425:Chemokine CCL27; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D053759:Interleukin-23; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: Cytokines; alopecia areata; chemokines; proinflammatory markers