Cytokines and chemokines multiplex analysis in patients with low disease activity rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe chronic autoimmune disorder that results from pathological activation of immune cells and altered cytokine/chemokine network. The aim of our study was to evaluate concentrations of chosen cytokines and chemokines in blood sera and synovial fluid samples isolated from low disease activity rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and osteoarthritis (OA) sufferers. Blood sera and synovial fluid samples have been obtained from 24 OA and 14 RA patients. Cytokines/chemokines levels have been determined using a Milliplex^® Map 38-plex human cytokine/chemokine magnetic bead-based panel (Merck Millipore, Germany) and Luminex^® MAGPIX^® platform (Luminex USA). Low disease activity RA patients showed altered concentration of numerous cytokine/chemokine when compared to OA controls—they were characterized by, inter alia, increased: eotaxin/CCL11 (p = 0.037), GRO/CXCL1 (p = 0.037), IL-2 (p = 0.013), IL-4 (p = 0.017), IL-7 (p = 0.003), IL-8 (p = 0.0007) and GM-CSF (p = 0.037) serum levels, whilst MDC/CCL22 concentration was decreased in this group (p = 0.034). Eotaxin/CCL11 (p = 0.001), GRO/CXCL1 (p = 0.041), IL-10 (p = 0.003), GM-CSF (p = 0.01), IL-1RA (p = 0.0005) and VEGF (p = 0.01) concentrations in synovial fluid of RA females were also increased. Even with low disease activity score, RA patients exhibited increased concentrations of cytokines with pro- and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as numerous chemokines, growth factors and regulators of angiogenesis. Surprisingly, RA subjects also shown decreased concentration of CCL22 chemokine. The attempt to restore cytokine balance and tolerogenic environment is ineffective in RA sufferers even with good disease management. Distinguished factors could serve as possible indicators of disease progression even in low disease activity patients.

Increased peripheral levels of TARC/CCL17 in first episode psychosis patients

BACKGROUND

Evidence for a link between the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the immune system is mounting. Altered levels of chemokines in plasma have previously been reported in patients with schizophrenia under antipsychotic medication. Here we aimed to study both peripheral and central chemokine levels in drug-naïve or short-time medicated first episode psychosis (FEP) patients.

METHOD

We analyzed nine chemokines in plasma and CSF from 41 FEP patients and 22 healthy controls using electrochemiluminescence assay.

RESULTS

In plasma four chemokines; TARC/CCL17, eotaxin/CCL11, MDC/CCL22, IP-10/CXCL10 and in CSF one chemokine; IP-10/CXCL10 showed reliable detection in >50% of the cases. FEP patients displayed increased levels of TARC/CCL17 in plasma compared to healthy controls, 89.6 (IQR 66.2-125.8) pg/mL compared to 48.6 (IQR 28.0-71.7) pg/mL (p = 0.001). The difference was not attributed to confounding factors. Plasma TARC/CCL17 was not associated with PANSS, CGI or GAF scores, neither with cognitive functions. The chemokines eotaxin/CCL11, MDC/CCL22, IP-10/CXCL10 in plasma and IP-10/CXCL10 in CSF did not differ between FEP patients and controls.

CONCLUSION

In line with a previous study showing that chronic patients with schizophrenia display increased plasma TARC/CCL17 levels, we here found an elevation in FEP patients suggesting a role of TARC/CCL17 in early stages of schizophrenia. The exact mechanism of this involvement is still unknown and future longitudinal studies as well as studies of central and peripheral chemokine levels would be of great interest.

Increased serum levels of eotaxin/CCL11 in late-stage patients with bipolar disorder: An accelerated aging biomarker?

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is commonly comorbid with many medical disorders including atopy, and appears characterized by progressive social, neurobiological, and functional impairment associated with increasing number of episodes and illness duration. Early and late stages of BD may present different biological features and may therefore require different treatment strategies. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of eotaxin/CCL11, eotaxin-2/CCL24, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, IFNγ, BDNF, TBARS, carbonyl, and GPx in a sample of euthymic patients with BD at early and late stages compared to controls.

METHODS

Early-stage BD patients, 12 late-stage patients, and 25 controls matched for sex and age were selected. 10mL of peripheral blood was drawn from all subjects by venipuncture. Serum levels of BDNF, TBARS, carbonyl content, glutathione-peroxidase activity (GPx), cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α and IFNγ), and chemokines (eotaxin/CCL11 and eotaxin-2/CCL24) were measured.

RESULTS

There were no demographic differences between patients and controls. No significant differences were found for any of the biomarkers, except chemokine eotaxin/CCL11, whose serum levels were higher in late-stage patients with BD when compared to controls (p=0.022; Mann-Whitney U test).

LIMITATIONS

Small number of subjects and use of medication may have influenced in our results.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests a link between biomarkers of atopy and eosinophil function and bipolar disorder. These findings are also in line with progressive biological changes partially mediated by inflammatory imbalance, a process referred to as neuroprogression.