Role of haemodialysis and hepatitis c virus infection in spontaneous and induced cytokine production of patients with chronic renal disease.

Abstract

Cytokines modulate general and virus infection-related host immune responses. We have investigated cytokine responses in chronic renal disease patients with regard to haemodialysis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Compared with healthy subjects with normal renal function (n=15), non-dialyzed/renal disease individuals without HCV infection (n=11) showed increased production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL-)6, IL-10, interferon (IFN-)gamma and IL-12 by blood mononuclear cells (P<0.05). These inflammatory cytokine responses were abolished in haemodialysis patients (n=37;P<0.05), except for IL-12. This hyporesponsiveness in haemodialysis patients was more evident in stimulatory conditions, as shown by the consistent inhibition of IFN-gamma production, and the failure of exogenous IFN-gamma to prime for IL-12 inducibility (P<0.01). The disturbed cytokine response appeared to focus in the T-helper lymphocyte phenotype 1 (Th(1)) because the stimulation of IL-6 and IL-10 (Th(2)phenotype cytokines) was not impaired. The pattern of response was similar among haemodialysis patients with (n=24) or without (n=13) HCV infection. However, HCV-positive haemodialysis patients had a blunted TNF-alpha response (P<0.05) and failed to increase the stimulated IFN-gamma and IL-12 production (P<0.01) compared with chronic hepatitis C patients without renal disease (n=25). On the contrary, IL-10 stimulation was higher in HCV-positive haemodialysis patients (P<0.01). These results disclose the presence in haemodialysis patients of markedly abnormal general and HCV infection-related cytokine responses; the inhibitory alterations appear to affect predominantly the stimulated responses via the Th(1)subset and its relationship with monocyte response with possible pathogenic and therapeutic implications.

• Authors: J Martín, P de Sequera, J A Quiroga, M Rico, M Fernández, C Arocena, C Caramelo, V Carreño
• Journal: Cytokine (Cytokine) Vol. 12 Issue 8 Pg. 1248-52 (Aug 2000) ISSN: 1043-4666 [Print] England
• PMID: 10930306 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Chemical References

• Cytokines

Topics

• Chronic Disease
• Cytokines (biosynthesis)
• Female
• Hepacivirus
• Hepatitis C (etiology, immunology, metabolism)
• Humans
• Kidney Diseases (complications, immunology, metabolism)
• Male
• Renal Dialysis
• Uremia (etiology, metabolism)