Evaluation of Pretransplant Serum Cytokine Levels in Renal Transplant Recipients

Abstract Aim Cytokines are early predictors of graft dysfunction. In this study we evaluated pretransplant cytokine levels and graft outcomes among renal transplant recipients. Patients and methods Donor selection was based on results of blood group matching and negative crossmatches. A panel of 35 human serum samples from patients (female/male = 0.4) awaiting renal transplantation and 15 healty control sera were analyzed for interleukin (IL) 1α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, transforming growth factor-β concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The average age of the patients was 34.5 ± 10.1 years (range 15 to 60). The average duration of renal replacement therapy before renal transplantation was 42.1 ± 57.9 months (range 0 to 288). The types of renal replacement therapy were; hemodialysis ( n = 27) and CAPD ( n = 8). Results Pretransplant IL-6 levels were higher among recipients who displayed acute rejection episodes compared with those fact of this complications ( P P P P > .05). Conclusion High pretransplant serum IL-6 levels are associated with an increased risk of acute rejection episodes and graft failure. IL-10 might contribute an anti-inflammatory action to patients with high serum IL-6 levels.