Interleukin-8 and polymorphoneutrophil leucocyte activation in hemolytic uremic syndrome of childhood

Interleukin-8 and polymorphoneutrophil leucocyte activation in hemolytic uremic syndrome of childhood. Polymorphoneutrophil leucocytes (PMNLs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (D+ HUS). We investigated mechanisms of PMNL involvement by measuring tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and the novel cytokine, interleukin-8 (IL-8), a potent activator of neutrophils, together with α- antitrypsin-complexed elastase (α1-AT-E) as a marker of neutrophil degranulation, and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). IL-8 was not detected in the 17 normal children, but was significantly elevated in 20 of 25 D+ HUS children (P