Open AccessIL‐8 as a circulating cytokine: induction by recombinant tumour necrosis factor‐alpha
Author(s) -
SHERON N.,
WILLIAMS R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb06885.x
Subject(s) - cytokine , immunology , tumor necrosis factor alpha , medicine , immune system , inflammation , biology
SUMMARY Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) is a pivotal cytokine at the centre of a cascade of cytokines and inflammatory mediators which modulate the host response to infection and trauma, and in particular the metabolic changes resulting in shock and subsequent multi‐organ failure. The cytokine IL‐8–predominantly an activator and chemotactic factor for circulating polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes–is produced in response to TNF‐α in vitro , and high circulating levels of IL‐8 are found in septic primates. We have studied the release of IL‐8 into the circulation of subjects with chronic hepatitis B undergoing a 10 week pilot trial of recombinant TNF‐α (rTNF‐α) therapy in doses of 15‐100 μg/m 2 , A marked dose‐dependent increase in plasma IL‐8 levels was seen commencing at 30‐60 min after the start of rTNF‐α infusion and peaking between 2 and 3 h (mean peak level 4300 ng/l). The temporal pattern of IL‐8 production exactly echoed that of IL‐6, another component of the cytokine cascade, but peak plasma levels of IL‐8 were up to 17 times higher than those of IL‐6. This study confirms in vitro data suggesting that IL‐8 is a component of the acute circulating cytokine cascade with a potential role in the modulation of the acute immune and metabolic response to infection and trauma.