title: Circulating levels of Th1 and Th2 chemokines in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although chemokines are critical elements for the selective attraction and activation of various leukocyte subsets in the inflammatory process, there are few findings concerning T helper (Th) 1 or Th2 chemokines in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This study was designed to determine whether serum levels of chemokines that are preferentially chemotactic for Th1 (IFN-gamma-inducible protein-10, IP-10/CXCL10) and Th2 (thymus and activation regulated chemokine, TARC/CCL17) and (macrophage derived chemokine, MDC/CCL22) cells were elevated and whether they correlated with the clinical features in patients with AS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients with axial AS and 25 healthy controls were enrolled into the study. Serum levels of chemokines (IP-10, TARC and MDC) and cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-4) were examined using ELISA. The disease activity was evaluated by Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS). Serum levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum chemokine levels of IP-10, TARC and MDC were significantly higher in patients with AS than those in healthy controls. Serum cytokine levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α were also significantly increased, but the levels of IL-4 were not. Furthermore, IP-10 levels in AS patients correlated with ESP, CRP and ASDAS, while the levels of TARC and MDC did not correlate with these clinic indexes. Correlation analysis between the levels of chemokines and cytokines revealed a positive correlation between IP-10 and TNF-α. The levels of both Th1 and Th2 chemokines decreased under blockade of TNF-α.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that both a Th1 chemoattractant IP-10 and Th2 chemoattractants, TARC and MDC, cooperatively play a role in the development of AS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gaoya
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of 1st Cancer Institute, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunshu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yujia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yangpingtingting@163.com.
authors.forename: Pingting
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D054414:Chemokine CCL17 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D054422:Chemokine CCL22 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D054422:Chemokine CCL22; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Biomarker; Chemoattractants; Disease activity index; TNF blockade