title: Cocaine abuse and effects in the serum levels of cytokines IL-6 and IL-10.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cocaine abuse is capable of activating the innate immune system in the CNS resulting in deregulation of homeostasis between pro and antiinflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of pro and antiinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-10 respectively, in cocaine users from a young population-based sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case-control study nested in a cross-sectional population-based survey, with individuals of 18 and 35 years old. Two groups were selected: 24 healthy controls and 12 subjects who reported cocaine use. Serum IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by ELISA using a commercial kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant increase in IL-6 (p=0.037) and decrease in IL-10 (p=0.007) serum levels, between cocaine users and the control group. There was also an increase in the ratio IL-6/IL-10 (p=0.013) among cocaine users individuals, when compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that cocaine users showed an activation of the immune system when compared a control group, demonstrating a disruption in the balance of pro and antiinflammatory cytokines. Thus, peripheral cytokines may represent a putative biomarkers for cocaine users, contributing to the development of diagnosis and effective treatments.
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Pedrotti
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Ricardo Carvalho
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Psychology School, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alfredo Cardoso
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Lhullier
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciano Dias de Mattos
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, Houston, TX, USA; Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Valmor
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Portela
authors.affiliation: Neurochemistry and Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Bioscience, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diogo R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Azevedo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil. Electronic address: carolinawiener@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carolina David
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Wiener
authors.affiliation: Translational Science on Brain Disorders, Department of Health and Behavior, Center of Life and Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, Houston, TX, USA; Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jean Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Oses
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: Biochemical marker; Cocaine; Cytokines; IL-10; IL-6