Expression of T lymphocyte cytokines in peripheral blood of renal transplant recipients

Objective To evaluate the clinical values of T-lymphocyte cytokines in renal transplant acute rejection. Methods A total of 31 recipients with renal transplantation and 15 healthy volunteers from January 2010 to January 2012 were enrolled and divided into acute rejection group (n=11) and stable renal allograft function group (n=20) according to the inclusion criteria. Peripheral blood was collected from the patients before transplantation, 1, 7, 14, 28 day after transplantation and acute rejection onset. Cytometric bead array (CBA) was used to monitor the levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin(IL)-10, IL-6, IL-4 and IL-2. The associations of the changes and levels of cytokines in 3 groups were examined with Pearson correlation analysis. Results The levels of IL-17A, TNF, IL-10 and IL-2 in recipients before transplantation were (3.40±1.29), (1.79±0.53), (2.73±0.65)and(1.79±1.02) ng/L respectively and decreased significantly compared to healthy volunteers ((4.52±2.01), (3.36±1.09), (3.91±0.42), (3.12±1.07) ng/L respectively, all P 0.05). In acute rejection group after transplantation, the levels of IL-17A, IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-6 were (9.47±4.75), (5.01±2.23), (12.20±5.79), (6.55±3.45)ng/L respectively and increased significantly compared to the renal allograft function group ((4.39±1.26), (2.90±0.87), (5.68±2.25) and (2.10±0.70) ng/L respectively, all P<0.05); the level of IL-17A was correlated with those of IFN-γ and IL-4 (Pearson r=0.519, 0.395, both P<0.01), the level of IFN-γ was correlated with those of IL-4 and IL-2 (r=0.276, 0.335, all P<0.05) , the level of TNF was correlated with that of IL-4 (r=0.423, P<0.05) and the level of IL-10 was correlated with that of IL-6 (r=0.361, P<0.05). Conclusions Cytokines play an important role in acute rejection of renal transplant. And further understanding of its mechanism may provide experimental and preventive rationales. Key words: Cytokines; Kidney transplantation; Graft kidney rejection