[A study of cytokine expression in peripheral blood of patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy]

To investigate the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R), sIL-6R and tumor necrosis factors (TNF) in the peripheral blood in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy and determine the relationship between the serum cytokine levels and the development of the disease.

The level of serum IL-2, IL-6, sIL-2R, sIL-6R and TNF were measured in the following 3 groups: acute phase (35 patients), chronic phase (15 patients) and control (30 patients). Thirty-two of the acute patients were received the same examination after a course of glucocorticoid therapy.

The level of sIL-2R, IL-6, sIL-2R, sIL-6R and TNF in acute patients are (13.86 +/- 2.06) U/ml, (642.86 +/- 123.90) U/ml, (105.11 +/- 15.77) U/ml, (2 438.06 +/- 218.88) pg/ml, (49.91 +/- 9.081) U/ml respectively, significantly higher than that of the normal persons (P < 0.01). After a course of glucocorticoid treatment, sIL-2R, sIL-6R, TNF were decreased to (437.75 +/- 90.54) U/ml, (2 142.31 +/- 301.08) pg/ml, (37.63 +/- 6.12) U/ml, close to the chronic patients, but still higher than normal. After treatment, there was no significant difference of IL-6 level among the 3 groups (P > 0.05). There was positive correlation among IL-6, sIL-2R and TNF level (P < 0.05).

A serial cytokines participate in the occurrence and development of Graves' ophthalmopathy. Most of them are related to the course and therapy of the disease.