Abstract
BackgroundSeveral inflammatory cytokines play a key part in the induction of osteoporosis. Until now, involvement of the Th2 cytokine interleukin-31 (IL-31) in osteoporosis hadn’t yet been studied. IL-31 is a proinflammatory cytokine mediating multiple immune functions, whose involvement in a wide range of diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases and cutaneous lymphomas, is now emerging. Given the important role of IL-31 in inflammation, we measured its serum levels in postmenopausal osteoporotic patients.Methods and resultsIn fifty-six postmenopausal females with osteoporosis and 26 healthy controls, bone mineral density (BMD) measurements were performed by using calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) technique, confirmed at the lumbar spine and hip by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Both patients and controls were divided according to age (less or more than 65 years) and disease severity (T-score levels and presence of fractures). Serum IL-31 levels were measured by ELISA technique. Osteoporotic patients exhibited elevated levels of serum IL-31 compared with healthy controls (43.12 ± 6.97 vs 29.58 ± 6.09 pg/ml; p < 0.049). IL-31 expression was higher in over 65 years old patients compared to age-matched controls (45 ± 11.05 vs. 17.92 ± 5.92; p < 0.01), whereas in younger subjects no statistically significant differences were detected between patients and controls (37.91 ± 6.9 vs 32.08 ± 8.2). No statistically significant differences were found between IL-31 levels in patients affected by mild (T-score > -3) compared to severe (T-score < -3) osteoporosis (59.17 ± 9.22 vs 37.91 ± 10.52), neither between fractured and unfractured osteoporotic women (33.75 ± 9.16 vs 51.25 ± 8.9).ConclusionsWe showed for the first time an increase of IL-31 serum levels in postmenopausal women with decreased BMD. Although they did not reflect the severity of osteoporosis and/or the presence of fractures, they clearly correlated with age, as reflected by the higher levels of this cytokine in aged patients.
Highlights
Several inflammatory cytokines play a key part in the induction of osteoporosis
We showed for the first time an increase of IL-31 serum levels in postmenopausal women with decreased bone mineral density (BMD)
Stratifying patients according to BMD values, no statistically significant differences were found between IL-31 levels in those affected by mild (T-score > -3) compared to severe (T-score < -3) osteoporosis (59.17 ± 9.22 pg/ml vs 37.91 ± 10.52 pg/ml respectively; p = 0.876), as well as between patients with mild osteoporosis and controls (p = 0.13) and between patients with severe osteoporosis and controls (p = 0.059)
Summary
Involvement of the Th2 cytokine interleukin-31 (IL-31) in osteoporosis hadn’t yet been studied. IL-31 is a proinflammatory cytokine mediating multiple immune functions, whose involvement in a wide range of diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases and cutaneous lymphomas, is emerging. In the last few years, many studies have been conducted to understand the processes that regulate physiological and pathological bone turnover and there was increasing evidence of a relationship between the immune system and bone [1, 2]. T cells have been recognized as key regulators of osteoclast and osteoblast activity in different diseases able to induce osteoporosis, such as rheumatic diseases, Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by decreased bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue.
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