Abstract
Several studies have shown that the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is produced in response to tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in vitro. This study examines the in vivo relation between these two cytokines with assays of plasma IL-6 and TNF levels in subjects with chronic hepatitis B undergoing immunomodulatory therapy with recombinant TNF (rTNF). Plasma IL-6 was detected from 20 min after rTNF infusion with levels peaking after 2-3 h and levels correlated with the dose of rTNF administered (r = 0.67, P = 0.004). Peak levels of IL-6 (mean 295, range 266-297 ng/l) were lower than those seen in certain disease states despite the very high peak levels of rTNF (mean 11750, range 5623-18620 ng/l). These findings suggest that the very high levels of IL-6 found in certain disease states are not purely the result of circulating TNF. Other factors such as endotoxin or other cytokines may also play a role in determining levels of plasma IL-6.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 427-428 |
Number of pages | 2 |
Journal | Clinical and Experimental Immunology |
Volume | 82 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1990 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chronic hepatitis B
- Interleukin-6
- Tumour necrosis factor