Mean IL-6 Levels Research Articles

Cytokine Profile of Scrub Typhus Patients during the Acute Phase of Illness

Background: An early and effective immune response has a role in disease presentation and clearance of pathogen. Chemokine and cytokine responses in the immunopathogenesis of scrub typhus (ST) are the least explored aspect. This study aimed to analyze interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and human macrophage inflammatory protein-1 (HMIP-1) β cytokine levels in ST-positive patients during the acute phase of illness. Materials and Methods: A total of 112 ST-positive patients were included in the study with 30 healthy controls (HC). Diagnosis was confirmed by immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence assay. The serum levels of cytokines were measured using the ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed with the IBM SPSS Statistics 20 and MedCalc 16.1 Software. Results: The mean level of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and HMIP1-β (72 pg/ml, 86.7 pg/ml, 187.05 pg/ml, and 12.23 pg/ml vs. 7.30 pg. ml, 8.73 pg/ml, 56.62 pg/ml, and 6.94 pg/ml, respectively) was significantly raised among the ST patients compared to the control group (P < 0.001) However, the mean and median levels of IL-2 and TGF-β were not differed significantly between ST patients and HC (P = 0.0207 and 0.0386, respectively). The severity of the disease involved respiratory complications. Around 90.1% (101/112) of patients showed high levels of IL-6, whereas IL-10, TNF-α, and HMIP-1 β levels were raised in 97 (86.6%), 63 (56.2%), and 69 (61.6%) cases, respectively. There was a higher TNF-α level in severe cases with a few values up to 298.77 pg/ml. Conclusion: Proinflammatory cytokines and IL-10 were found to be increased in ST patients during the acute phase of infection. A proper balance of these cytokines is required for a better outcome. These findings suggest that the status of TNF-α levels in the acute phase may predict the severity of ST disease.

The Effect of Ginseng Extract on Serum Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is the most common cause of death and illness in the world. Increased IL-6 can be used as an early indicator of infection or inflammation. Ginseng is a popular herbal medicine. The anti-inflammatory effect of Ginseng is mediated by its ability to inhibit Nuclear Factor Kappa Beta (NF-kB), a proinflammatory regulator to initiate the synthesis of cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8. Clinical trial research, quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach was carried out on 26 community pneumonia patients who were hospitalized at Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta from October 2020 to January 2021 using purposive sampling. The independent variable was Ginseng extract (GinsanaR) at a dose of 2x100 mg and the dependent variable was serum IL-6 levels. Serum IL-6 levels were measured using the Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunoabsorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Mean IL-6 levels in the control group on day 0, day 3, and day 14 were 232,89+156,61 pg/mL, 113,46±83.30 pg/mL and 66.18±66.02 pg/mL, respectively (p=<0.001). Mean IL-6 levels in the treatment group on day 0, day 3, and day 14 were 519,55±609,19 pg/mL, 205.41±329.17 pg/mL and 133,59±291,68 pg/mL, respectively (p=<0.001). Delta IL-6 levels in the control group and the treatment group on day 3 compared to day 0, the mean of the IL-6 control group -119,42±111,70 pg/mL, the mean for the IL-6 treatment group -314,14±532,16 pg/mL; On day 14 compared to day 0, the mean of the IL-6 control group was -166,70±135,54 pg/mL, the mean of the IL-6 treatment group was -385,96±547,10 pg/mL; On day 14 compared to day 3, the mean IL-6 control group was -47.28±47.47, the mean IL-6 control group was -71.82±58.16. The post hoc test (Wilcoxon) obtained a p-value < 0.05, suggesting that Ginseng extract has a significant effect on reducing serum IL-6 serum levels in community pneumonia patients.

Maternal mortality cases due to COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary referral hospital

Objective: This study aimed to report the clinical prognoses, laboratory findings, treatment procedures, and neonatal outcomes, from hospitalization to death, of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related cases of maternal mortality at our clinic. Methods: Fifteen cases of COVID-19-related maternal mortality, between April 2020 and October 2021, in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology of a Training and Research Hospital were retrospectively analyzed for the purpose of the study. Results: During the study period, a total of 501 symptomatic pregnant women received inpatient treatment for COVID-19. In our case group, 93.3% of maternal deaths due to COVID-19 occurred as a result of the worsening of the clinical condition of third-trimester pregnant women. In these patients whose clinical condition deteriorated, delivery was performed after the decision to give birth, and 86.6% of mortalities occurred in the postpartum period and 13.4% before delivery. There was at least one risk factor in 60% of the cases, with obesity being the most prevalent. In all mortality cases, there were pulmonary complaints (shortness of breath and cough) at admission, and bilateral lung involvement was observed during lung imaging; furthermore, there was a corresponding increase in the mean leukocytosis, AST, ALT, LDH, D-dimer, ferritin, procalcitonin, IL-6, and pro-BNP levels with the worsening of the clinical prognosis. The duration of hospitalization and intensive care unit stays were 6.87±3.18 and 5.33±3.27 days, respectively. The mean period of the delivery-to-mortality for mothers was 5.92±3.48 days and the mean period of the intubation-to-mortality for mothers was 3.33±3.15 days. Conclusion: The risks of severe illness and death associated with COVID-19 increased in the third trimester compared to the first and second trimesters. All mortality cases involved unvaccinated pregnant women, of which most had at least one risk factor, obesity being the most prevalent. There was no COVID-19-related mortality in the newborns, and it was found that prematurity rates increased due to maternal disease.

Comparison of IL-6 levels among healthy subjects and patients with periodontal disease

Background: The present study was conducted for comparing the IL-6 levels among healthy subjects and patients with periodontal diseases. Materials & methods: A total of 30 healthy controls and 30 subjects with presence of generalized periodontitis were enrolled. Complete demographic and clinical details of all the patients was obtained. All the patients were recalled in the morning and blood samples were obtained. All the samples were sent to the laboratory where an auto-analyser was used for evaluation of serum IL-6 levels. All the results were recorded and analysed by SPSS software. Results: Mean serum IL-6 levels among the subjects of the periodontitis group and control group was 6.96 pg/mL and 3.1 pg/mL respectively. While analysing statistically, it was seen that mean IL-6 levels among the subjects of the periodontitis group was significantly higher in comparison to the subjects of the control group.Conclusion: IL-6 plays a significant role in immune-modulation and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases.

Evaluation of serum levels of IL-6 and adiponectin in COVID-19 patients and their relationship with disease severity

Background. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has prompted researchers around the world to identify risk factors associated with disease severity and mortality. Results suggest that COVID-19 mortality might be due to a cytokine storm involving IL-6, and that obesity can be considered a risk factor for COVID-19 prevalence, severity, and mortality. The current study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of IL-6 and adiponectin in patients and their relationship with disease progression. Materials and methods. ELISA was used to assess the levels of IL-6 and adiponectin in serum samples from a control group and from patients with COVID-19 at the time of admission to ICU or non-ICU wards. The results were analyzed using the MannWhitney and Spearman tests. Results. Mean serum levels of adiponectin in patients admitted to ICU (10.1815.4 ng/ml) were significantly higher than patients admitted to non-ICU wards (3.143 ng/ml, p = 0.001). Mean serum IL-6 levels showed a similar pattern, however the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.18). In addition, a significant direct correlation was observed between adiponectin expression and IL-6 (R = 0.2, p = 0.03). Conclusion. The results of this study show that serum levels of adiponectin in COVID-19 patients with severe lung involvement were significantly higher than those with less lung involvement. This finding is of high importance mainly due to the critical role of the lungs in adiponectin signaling, and as a result, adiponectin disorders may be associated with pulmonary complications in COVID-19 patients.

Assessment of cytokine profile in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects small joints, characterized by inflammation and cellular proliferation in the synovial lining of joints that can ultimately result in cartilage and bone destruction. This study aims to detect the IL-6 and TNF –α in addition to assess some diagnostic parameters in105 Rheumatoid arthritis patients and compared with healthy individuals as control. The mean level of ESR and CRP in RA patients were increase significantly (P<0.05) in (81.25±14.35 and 224 ± mg/dl), respectively than control. The mean IL-6 and TNF-α serum level were significantly higher (p ≤0.05) in RA patients (197 & 308) pg/ml, respectively compared to the control (5 & 57) pg./ml. There was no significant correlation between anti-CCP with RF, IL-6, TNF-α (p≥0.05) and only significant with RA33.

Does Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection or SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Trigger an Inflammatory Response in the Fetus? A Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers a significant maternal inflammatory response. There is a dearth of information regarding whether maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection at admission for delivery or SARS-CoV-2 vaccination triggers an inflammatory response in the fetus. This study aims at evaluating fetal inflammatory response to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection or SARS-CoV-2 vaccination compared to control group. Design, Participants, Setting, and Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed with a total of 61 pregnant women who presented for delivery at a single medical center (William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI). All mothers were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on admission to labor and delivery unit. Three groups were evaluated: 22 pregnant with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test (case group), 23 pregnant women with a negative SARS-CoV-2 test (control group), and 16 pregnant women who had recent SAR-CoV-2 vaccination and a negative SARS-CoV-2 test (vaccine group). At delivery, cord blood was collected to determine the levels of IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG and IgM antibodies. In all cases, the newborn had a negative PCR test or showed no clinical findings consistent with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: Mean (SD) IL-6 level was not significantly different for the three groups: case group 9.00 ± 3.340 pg/mL, control group 5.19 ± 0.759 pg/mL, and vaccine group 7.11 ± 2.468 pg/mL (p value 0.855). Pairwise comparison also revealed no statistical difference for IL-6 concentrations with p values for case versus control, case versus vaccine, and control versus vaccine = 0.57, 0.91, and 0.74, respectively. Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of elevated IL-6 (>11 pg/mL) between groups (p value 0.89). CRP levels across the three groups were not statistically significant different (p value 0.634). Pairwise comparison of CRP levels among the different groups was also not statistically different. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG was positive in 12 out of 22 cord blood samples in the case group, 2 out of 23 of the control group (indicating old resolved maternal infection), and 0 out of 16 of the vaccine group. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgM was negative in all cord blood samples of the case group, control group, and vaccine group. Limitations: A total number of 61 mothers enrolled in the study which represents a relatively small number of patients. Most patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR were mainly asymptomatic. In addition, our vaccine group received the mRNA-based vaccines (mRNA1273 and BNT162b2). We did not study fetal response to other SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Conclusion: In our prospective cohort, neither IL-6 nor CRP indicated increased inflammation in the cord blood of newborns of SARS-CoV-2-infected or vaccinated mothers.

The correlation between Interleukin-6 and D-dimer, Serum ferritin, CRP in COVID-19 patients

Background : Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is the third fatal coronavirus that has emerged in the past two decades, following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-1 and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus . Objective: To investigate the correlation between COVID-19 infection and patient’s descriptive data such as gender, age, and to observe the association of IL-6 and D-dimer, CRP, Serum ferritin in COVID-19 patients. Methodology: A study is conducted during the period from 1st October 2021 to 1st March 2022, 110 samples are collected from COVID-19 patients, Who attended to AL-Amal Specialized Hospital for Communicable Diseases at first week of infection. Their age range between 15-90 years old, and compared them with 50 healthy individuals as control group. The diagnosis of each case was established using clinical diagnosis and confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 7 ml of fresh venous blood samples were collected from COVID-19 infected patients for serological and immunological assay for measuring the levels of IL6, D-dimer, serum ferritin, and C-reactive protein. Results: In the current study, the prevalence of severe COVID-19 infection according to age are increased in older aged patients, the highest one appeared at the (71-90) age group in 100% followed by (51- 70) age group 87.2%, then the low prevalence frequency was recorded at (36-50 ) age group in (37.5%), and the low prevalence 28.6 % at the age group (15-35). From total patients, 79(71.8%) of them were males and 31(28.1%) were females. The mean serum level of ferritin show a significant differences in sera of patient with COVID-19 as compared with control groups (392.4 vs. 131.6 µg/l), as well as, the mean serum level of CRP show a highly significant difference in sera of patient with COVID-19 as compared with control groups (59.26 vs. 7.61 mg/L), also the mean serum level of D-dimer show a highly significant difference in sera of patient with COVID-19 as compared with control groups (1104 vs. 220 ng/ml). The mean serum level of IL-6 show a highly significant difference in sera of patient with COVID-19 as compared with control groups (130 vs. 9.2 pg/ml), also it show a highly significant differences in severe and severe with death cases when compared with control groups, in addition, COVID-19 patients show a significant positive correlation of IL-6 with CRP, Ferritin, and D-dimer by their r values. Conclusions: The prevalence of severe COVID-19 infection according to age are increased in older aged patients, the male show high infected percentage than female. An elevated serum level of IL-6, CRP, D-dimer, and ferritin are associated with a poor outcome in COVID-19 patients.

Association between intervertebral disc degeneration and Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic systemic vasculitis with a wide range of clinical findings. It has both autoinflammatory and autoimmune features and manifests with recurrent inflammatory attacks involving the innate immune system. Recently, autoinflammation has started to take place in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between intervertebral disc degeneration and BD. We evaluated patients with BD who suffered neck or low back pain in the last 1 year. Eighty four patients underwent musculoskeletal system examination with MRI imaging of the cervical and lumbar vertebrae, and serum levels of IL6, IL8, and TNF-α were determined. The mean age was 47.7± 11.5 (range 20-68)years. Cervical and/or lumbar herniation was detected in the MRI imaging of 65 (77.3%) out of 84 patients. The mean IL8 levels of the group with pain and disc herniation and the group with pain and bulging were statistically significantly higher than the other groups (p= 0.007; p= 0.045, respectively). Chronic inflammation in BD may cause disc degeneration and radicular pain to begin and progress earlier in patients.

Analysis of serum and gene expression profile of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1) in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

BackgroundChronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major causes of liver cirrhosis and liver carcinoma. Studies have indicated that an imbalance of cytokine activities could contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic HCV infection. This study aimed to investigate serum levels and gene expression of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1) in chronic HCV infection among Malay male subjects.MethodsThirty-nine subjects were enrolled from various health clinics in Kelantan, Malaysia, and divided into two groups: patients with chronic HCV infection (HP) and healthy control (HS). The serum cytokines IL-6, TNF-a—were measured using Luminex assay, and serum TGF-β1 was measured by ELISA. The mRNA gene expression for IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1 was measured by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).ResultsThere were statistically significant differences in the mean serum levels of IL-6, and TGF-β1 in HP compared to HS group (p = 0.0180 and p = 0.0005, respectively). There was no significant difference in the mean serum level of TNF-α in HP compared to HS group. The gene expression for the studied cytokines showed no significant differences in HP compared to HS group.ConclusionSerum IL-6 was significantly associated with chronic HCV infection.

Comparison of Cytokines Levels Among Covid-19 Patients Living at Sea Level and High Altitude

PurposeThe inflammatory response in COVID-19 among people living at different altitudes has not been studied. Given that chronic hypoxia promotes cytokines production in the absence of disease, the inflammatory response against SARS-CoV-2 may also be different in these populations. The aim of this study was to compare pro-inflammatory cytokine levels among healthy and COVID-19 patients living at different altitudes above sea level.Methods & MaterialsA descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in two Peruvian cities at different altitudes for comparison: Lima (sea level) and Huaraz (3052 meters above sea level). Patients with COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were compared to healthy subjects, according to their residing location. Five important proinflammatory cytokines were measured including: IL-6, IL-2, IL-10, IFN-γ and TNF-α using ELISA-based assays. Cytokines levels were calculated and their mean, maximum and minimum levels were reported according to each study group. The difference between means was compared using the ANOVA and post-hoc Turkey Test, a signifiant value of p<0.05 was considered significant.ResultsA total of 35 COVID-19 patients and 10 healthy subjects were recruited from each study site. The mean levels of IL-6 (p<0.03) and TNF-α (p<0.01) were significantly different among the study groups. In the case of IL-6, patients from Lima had a mean level of 16.2 pg/ml (healthy) and 48.3 pg/ml (COVID-19), meanwhile, patients from Huaraz had levels of 67.3 pg/ml (healthy) and 97.9 pg/ml (COVID-19). Regarding TNF-α, patients from Lima had a mean level of 25.9 pg/ml (healthy) and 61.6 pg/ml (COVID-19), meanwhile, patients from Huaraz had levels of 89.0 pg/ml (healthy) and 120.6 pg/ml (COVID-19). The levels of IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ were not significantly different in the study groups.ConclusionPatients with COVID-19 residing in high-altitude tend to have higher levels of inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-6 and TNF-α. Altogether, this findings demonstrates the need to perform more studies in populations residing at high altitude, given that inflammatory response may be significantly different in these populations.

Evaluation of TNF-α and IL-6 in saliva among diabetic retinopathy patients in East Coast Malaysia.

To compare tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels in saliva between different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR). This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and November 2020. This study included diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with no DR, non-proliferative DR (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR). None of the patients with DM were included in the control group. Unstimulated saliva samples were then collected. TNF-α and IL-6 levels were measured. Altogether, 120 patients were included in the study (DM without DR, 33 patients; DM with NPDR, 30 patients; DM with PDR, 32 patients; non-DM, 25 patients). The mean IL-6 level in saliva was significantly higher in the DM group (0.033±0.005pg/ml) than in the non-DM group (0.027±0.001pg/ml) (p<0.001 after adjusting for covariates). There was no significant difference in the mean salivary TNF-α between patients with DM and those without DM after adjusting for covariates. The mean IL-6 in saliva was significantly higher in the NPDR (0.036±0.003pg/ml) and PDR (0.093±0.023pg/ml) groups than in the no DR group (0.027±0.001pg/ml) (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Mean TNF-α in saliva was significantly higher in the NPDR (0.086±0.022pg/ml) and PDR (0.093±0.023pg/ml) groups than in the no DR group (0.049±0.011pg/ml) (p=0.015 and p=0.003, respectively). There is an association between inflammatory biomarkers in saliva (IL-6 and TNF-α) and severity of DR among patients with DM, suggesting that these salivary biomarkers are potential biomarkers for screening, monitoring, and predicting the progression of DR.

Comparison of cytokines levels among COVID-19 patients living at sea level and high altitude

BackgroundAt the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus denominated SARS-CoV-2 rapidly spread through the world causing the pandemic coronavirus disease known as COVID-19. The difference in the inflammatory response against SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living at different altitudes is a variable not yet studied.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in two Peruvian cities at different altitudes for comparison: Lima and Huaraz. Five important proinflammatory cytokines were measured including: IL-6, IL-2, IL-10, IFN-γ and TNF-α using ELISA assays.ResultsA total of 35 COVID-19 patients and 10 healthy subjects were recruited from each study site. The mean levels of IL-6 (p < 0.03) and TNF-α (p < 0.01) were significantly different among the study groups. In the case of IL-6, patients from Lima had a mean level of 16.2 pg/ml (healthy) and 48.3 pg/ml (COVID-19), meanwhile, patients from Huaraz had levels of 67.3 pg/ml (healthy) and 97.9 pg/ml (COVID-19). Regarding TNF-α, patients from Lima had a mean level of 25.9 pg/ml (healthy) and 61.6 pg/ml (COVID-19), meanwhile, patients from Huaraz had levels of 89.0 pg/ml (healthy) and 120.6 pg/ml (COVID-19). The levels of IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ were not significantly different in the study groups.ConclusionPatients with COVID-19 residing at high-altitude tend to have higher levels of inflammatory cytokines compared to patients living at sea level, particularly IL-6 and TNF-α. A better understanding of the inflammatory response in different populations can contribute to the implementation of therapeutic and preventive approaches. Further studies evaluating more patients, a greater variety of cytokines and their clinical impact are required.

Blood pressure, inflammation, and quality of life in patients treated with different renal replacement therapies.

Our aim was to determine the relationship between the modality of renal replacement therapy and inflammation markers, BP control, and quality of life (QoL). Sixteen hemodialysis, 17 peritoneal dialysis patients, and 27 kidney transplant receivers (KTr) have been included in this study. Short Form-36 (SF-36) for the evaluation of QoL and ambulatory BP monitoring were performed on the same day. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP, IL-6, and IL-10 were measured. While the mean IL-10, IL-6, and CRP levels were the highest in the dialysis groups, there were no significantly differences any parameters for all groups. QoL was better in the KTr almost as in healthy controls but worse in the dialysis patients. It should be taken into account that hypertension may occur at night even if the daytime BP is normal in KTr.

Effects of combined aerobic and anaerobic exercise training on cytokine profiles in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease characterized by production of autoantibodies and organ damage. Elevated levels of cytokines have been reported in SLE patients. Physical activity could be considered one of the factors that affect the immune system status and function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week supervised aerobic and anaerobic training program on the immune system of SLE patients through evaluation of serum cytokine levels. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 24 SLE patients selected between September 2015 and March 2016. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, including exercise (n = 14) and control (n = 10) groups. The exercise group participated in an 8-week combined supervised exercise training program consisting of three times per week in 60-min exercise sessions. After collection of whole peripheral blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from the blood samples. Following RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, the expression levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22 were determined using in-house SYBER Green-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Lastly, the data obtained were analyzed using t-test. ResultsThe mean and standard deviation of age were 29.00 ± 3.19 and 21.50 ± 5.52 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. No significant differences were found among the mean serum levels of IFN-γ, IL6, IL-9, IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-21 among SLE patients in the intervention and control groups. The mean serum levels of TNF-α, IL2, IL-4, and IL-5 decreased significantly in the intervention as compared with the control group. The mean serum levels of IL-10, IL-13 and IL-22 significantly increased in the control group after eight weeks, as compared with the intervention group. ConclusionsOur findings indicated that the 8-week supervised aerobic and anaerobic training program could result in decreased inflammatory cytokines.

Interleukin – 6 Serum Level and Single Nucleotide Gene -174 G/C promoter Polymorphism in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis / Iraq

Objective: To 1) assess IL-6 levels in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 2) study IL-6 promoter -174 G>C “single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)” as an imminent factor for the disease development. 3) find any relation between the level of serum IL-6 cytokine and other parameters such as age, gender, clinical severity of diseases and “disease activity scores (DAS28)”. Materials & methods: This research was carried out through a case – control approach at “Ibn – Senna Teaching Hospital” in Mosul city between November 2020 and July 2021. It included 61 RA patients diagnosed according to “ACR / EULAR 2010 criteria” and 50 healthy individuals. IL-6 serum levels were ascertained by ELISA and genotyping of IL-6 promoter was accomplished by “sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR)”. Results: Mean IL-6 level in RA (69.42 ng /l ± 62.99) was elevated in comparison to healthy people (14.66 ng /l ± 23.58), P < 0.001. No age or gender effects on IL-6 concentration were noted. The ideal cut-off of IL-6 for discrimination of RA with best discriminative utility compared to healthy controls was 22.80 ng/l. At this value the IL-6 sensitivity was 91.8%, specificity 82.0% and accuracy rate 73.80%. G/G genotype was the most pervasive genotype in both RA patients and controls (70.5% in RA and 64% in healthy controls). However, it did not seem to be a risk factor for RA development compared to G/C or C/C genotypes “(OR = 1.3438, 95% CI=0.605-2.984,P=0.469)”. The mean IL-6 level in patients with GG genotype was (73.70 ng / l ± 71.09) compared to (58.37 ng /l ± 37.86) in patients with GC genotype. There was no significant difference in the IL-6 level between patients with GG and patients with GC genotypes (P = 0.2375). Although higher IL-6 mean concentration was reported in severe RA, however, no significant difference was found between patients with mild, moderate and severe RA respectively. No correlation of serum levels of IL-6 with genetic promoter polymorphism, clinical severity of diseases or DAS 28 score were reported. Conclusion: The concentration of serum IL-6 was elevated in RA in regard to healthy controls which confirmed its pivotal role in RA pathogenesis. Our data did not support the role of IL-6 promoter -174 G> C polymorphism as a risk factor for RA, nor seem to play a major role in the increase of IL-6 level among our patients with RA.

The self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of Petiveria alliacea extract reduced the homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance value, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α level in diabetic rat models.

Background and Aim:Metaflammation plays a significant role in the pathogenesis, development, and complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). This inflammation is associated with insulin resistance. Therefore, the inflammatory pathways have been targeted for pharmacological treatment. Petiveria alliacea can decrease blood glucose levels and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities; however, there are still insufficient data regarding its efficacy for the treatment of DM. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of P. alliacea leaf extract on the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)-insulin resistance (IR) value and interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model.Materials and Methods:Thirty-five diabetic rat models were randomly divided into five groups. The first group received the SNEDDS of P. alliacea leaf extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight (BW), the second group received it at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW, the third group received it at a dose of 200 mg/kg BW, the fourth group received 18 mg of metformin, and the fifth group only received the SNEDDS formula. The treatment was administered once a day, orally, for 14 days. On the 15th day after treatment, the rats were sacrificed to obtain blood samples for cardiac examination. The IL-6, TNF-α, and insulin levels in the serum were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The HOMA-IR value was calculated using a formula.Results:The mean IL-6 and TNF-α levels were low in the group that received the SNEDDS of P. alliacea leaf extract. There was no significant difference in the insulin level in all treatment and control groups. However, a significant difference in the HOMA-IR value was noted between the group that received the SNEDDS of P. alliacea leaf extract and metformin and the group that did not receive treatment (p<0.05).Conclusion:The SNEDDS of P. alliacea leaf extract reduced the HOMA-IR value and suppressed the TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the STZ-induced diabetic rat model.

Is there any role of interleukin-6 and high sensitive C-reactive protein in predicting IVF/ICSI success? A prospective cohort study.

Studies have established a relationship between proinflammatory factors and implantation failure in IVF/ICSI cycles. Likewise, low-grade chronic inflammation is generally blamed for predisposing infertility. In the present study, we aimed to find a relationship between serum IL-6 and hs-CRP levels and IVF/ICSI cycle outcomes. A total of 129 patients who consented to participate and attended the IVF unit of our department for the treatment of infertility have been enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Serum levels of high sensitive C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 have been detected at the beginning of the IVF/ICSI ovulation induction cycle. Cycle outcomes have been compared between patients with and without clinical pregnancy achievement following ART treatments. IVF/ICSI cycle outcomes of these two groups were also comparable except the number of >14mm follicles, retrieved oocytes, metaphase II oocytes, and fertilized oocytes (2 pronuclei) which were in favor of the clinical pregnancy group. Mean serum hs-CRP levels were 3.08mg/L (0.12-35.04) and 2.28mg/L (0.09-22.52) patients with and without clinical pregnancy respectively. Mean serum IL-6 levels were 2pg/mL (1-10.2) and 2pg/mL (1-76.9) patients with and without clinical pregnancy respectively. Both tests were found to be statistically insignificant in predicting the success of the ART cycle in terms of implantation, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth. In the present study, we have not found any significant effect of hs-CRP and IL-6 levels in the IVF cycle. However, in the light of this and previous studies, large-scale research may prove the exact influence of these markers on IVF success.

Effect of tetracycline on IL-1β and IL-6 levels of the peri-implant sulcular fluid.

Background Inflammation in the implant-abutment interface is one of the main factors that can reduce implant stability. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of chlorhexidine, tetracycline, saliva, and a dry environment on the interleukin IL-1β and interleukin IL-6 levels of the gingival groove fluid at the implant-abutment interface.Methods Twenty-four (10 men and 14 women) patients referred to the Faculty of Dentistry for implant treatment, who met the inclusion criteria, were examined. Four different materials were used in each implant, including 2% chlorhexidine, 3% tetracycline, saliva, and a dry medium. Each test material was placed inside the implant screw during the anchorage session, and the healing screw was closed. Patients were then sampled in three implantation sessions and one month after prosthesis delivery. Interstitial fluid groove was used for sampling after cleaning the mouth (half an hour after three minutes of thorough brushing). The data were analyzed with SPSS 20 using ANOVA and relevant post hoc tests.Results There was a significant difference in the mean IL-6 and IL-1β levels between the four materials (P<0.05). IL-6β levels were similar in tetracycline and chlorhexidine but significantly higher than in saliva and the dry environment (P<0.05). IL-6 and IL-1β levels in the saliva were significantly higher than in the dry environment (P<0.05).Conclusion The use of tetracycline at the junction of implant and abutment reduces the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β.

Serum Inflammation Biomarkers and Micronutrient Levels in Nigerian Breast Cancer Patients with Different Hormonal Immunohistochemistry Status

Background: The importance and relevance of serum inflammation biomarkers and DNA methylation-dependent micronutrients in breast tumorigenesis is gaining wider acceptance. However, the association of serum inflammation biomarkers and micronutrient status with expression of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) by the tumor has not been investigated in Nigerian breast cancer patients. The objective of this study was to determine the levels of serum biomarkers of inflammation (Homocysteine, Nitric Oxide (NO), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), Interleukins 6 and 8 (IL-6 and IL-8) and DNA methylation-dependent micronutrients [Zinc (Zn), Folic acid, Vitamin B6 and B12] in breast cancer patients with different hormone receptor levels (ER, PR and HER-2). Methods: One hundred and fifteen women (80 with breast cancer and 35 controls) were randomly recruited for this study. Serum levels of homocysteine, folic acid, vitamins B6, vitamin B12, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8) were analyzed using ELISA. The levels of NO, MPO, H2O2 and Zn were analyzed using spectrophotometer. The levels of serum inflammation biomarkers and DNA methylation-dependent micronutrients in patients with breast cancer and control subjects without breast cancer as well as breast cancer patients with ER, PR and HER-2 expression were determined. Results: The results showed that mean serum levels of IL-6 (p=0.002), IL-8 (p=0.018) and H2O2 (p=0.000) were significantly increased while TNF-α (p=0.014) and NO levels (p=0.044) were significantly decreased in breast cancer compared to healthy controls (p&lt;0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of Zn, homocysteine, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and MPO in breast cancer patients and controls (p&gt;0.05). Furthermore, the levels of serum inflammatory biomarkers and methylation-dependent micronutrients were similar in HER-2, ER and PR breast cancer hormone subtypes. Conclusion: Systemic inflammation exists in breast cancer patients but the inflammation biomarkers and methylation-dependent micronutrients did not differ among patients with PR, ER and HER-2 antigen expression.