Temporal changes in cytokine/chemokine profiles and pulmonary involvement in severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND:

Pathological changes in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) suggest that SARS sequelae are associated with dysregulation of cytokine and chemokine production. To improve understanding of the immuno-pathological processes involved in lung injury associated with SARS, the temporal changes in cytokine/chemokine profiles in the sera of SARS patients were compared with those of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), according to the degree of lung involvement.

METHODS:

Serum levels of 11 cytokines and chemokines, in 14 patients with SARS and 24 patients with CAP, were serially checked using a bead-based multiassay system. Sera from 12 healthy subjects were used as normal controls.

RESULTS:

The serum levels of interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly elevated during SARS infection. In patients with CAP, but not in those with SARS, the levels of interferon-gamma, IL-10, IL-8 and monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG) were significantly elevated compared with the levels in healthy controls. Among the chemokines/cytokines, IL-6 levels correlated most strongly with radiographic scores (r=0.62). The elevation of IP-10 and IL-2 antedated the development of chest involvement and reached peak levels earlier than the radiographic scores. In contrast, the dynamic changes in IL-6, C-reactive protein and neutrophils occurred synchronously with the changes in radiographic scores. The mean ratio of IL-6 to IL-10 in SARS patients (4.84; range 0.41-21) was significantly higher than that in CAP patients (2.95; range 0.02-10.57) (P=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS:

The early induction of IP-10 and IL-2, as well as the subsequent over-production of IL-6 and lack of IL-10 production, probably contribute to the main immuno-pathological processes involved in lung injury in SARS. These changes in cytokine/chemokine profile are remarkably different from those observed in CAP patients.

• Authors: Jung-Yien Chien, Po-Ren Hsueh, Wern-Cherng Cheng, Chong-Jen Yu, Pan-Chyr Yang
• Journal: Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) (Respirology) Vol. 11 Issue 6 Pg. 715-22 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 1323-7799 [Print] Australia
• PMID: 17052299 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Chemokine CXCL10
• Chemokines
• Chemokines, CXC
• Cytokines
• Interleukin-2
• Interleukin-6
• Interleukin-10

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Case-Control Studies
• Chemokine CXCL10
• Chemokines (blood, genetics)
• Chemokines, CXC (genetics, metabolism)
• Community-Acquired Infections (blood, diagnostic imaging, immunology, physiopathology)
• Cytokines (blood, genetics)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation
• Humans
• Interleukin-10 (genetics, metabolism)
• Interleukin-2 (genetics, metabolism)
• Interleukin-6 (genetics, metabolism)
• Lung (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pneumonia (blood, diagnostic imaging, immunology, physiopathology)
• Prospective Studies
• Radiography
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (blood, diagnostic imaging, immunology, physiopathology)