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Parallel increase of circulating CXCL11 and CXCL10 in mixed cryoglobulinemia, while the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 is associated with high serum Th2 chemokine CCL2

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Abstract

The aim was to investigate circulating levels of interelukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, chemokine (C–X–C motif) ligand (CXCL)10, CXCL11 and chemokine (C–C motif) ligand (CCL)2 in “mixed cryoglobulinemia and hepatitis C” (MC + HCV). Serum levels of CXCL11, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and CCL2 were evaluated in 52 MC + HCV vs 52 sex- and age-matched controls to correlate them to the clinical features of mixed cryoglobulinemia. CXCL11 was significantly higher in MC + HCV than in controls (264 ± 279 vs 70 ± 16 pg/mL, respectively; P = 0.0002; univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA)), in particular in 23 MC + HCV with active vasculitis vs those without (293 ± 221 vs 168 ± 57 pg/mL, respectively; P < 0.001; ANOVA). Significantly high IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CXCL10, and CCL2 in MC + HCV vs healthy controls were confirmed. In a multiple linear regression model (CXCL11 or CCL2, vs age, alanine aminotransferase, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL10), CXCL11 was significantly associated with high CXCL10 (P < 0.001), while CCL2 with high IL-6 (P < 0.001). This study demonstrates in MC + HCV high serum levels of (a) T-helper 1 chemokines, CXCL11 and CXCL10 (related to each other) and (b) proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and CCL2 (related to each other).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy

    Alessandro Antonelli, Poupak Fallahi, Silvia Martina Ferrari & Alda Corrado

  2. Department of Medical, Surgical, Maternal, Pediatric and Adult Sciences, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41100, Modena, Italy

    Marco Sebastiani, Dilia Giuggioli & Clodoveo Ferri

  3. Department of Translational Research and of New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy

    Mario Miccoli & Santino Marchi

  4. Center for Systemic Manifestations of Hepatitis Viruses, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 85, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Anna Linda Zignego

  5. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Sections of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy

    Domenico Sansonno

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  1. Alessandro Antonelli
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Correspondence to Alessandro Antonelli.

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Antonelli, A., Fallahi, P., Ferrari, S.M. et al. Parallel increase of circulating CXCL11 and CXCL10 in mixed cryoglobulinemia, while the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 is associated with high serum Th2 chemokine CCL2. Clin Rheumatol 32, 1147–1154 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-013-2246-y

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