Cytokine Analysis: A Fresh Perspective

It is recognized that a balance of different cytokines (synergistic versus antagonistic cytokines) determines the outcome in regulation of different actions such as inflammation, polarization, and secretion of macrophages, induction and secretion of T helper cells, and angiogenesis. It is also known that cytokine secretion is highly variable between individuals. These facts red flag the practice of only comparing absolute values of 1 or 2 cytokines in various studies. It is recognized that ratios of opposing functions yield better quantification of the equilibrium than just observing single values. It is the purpose of this article to (1) emphasize the need to measure a combination of cytokines selected in a manner so that ratios of these may be derived to yield more information about the homeostasis in body and (2) to offer a list of synergistic and antagonistic cytokines from which future investigators may select for more meaningful results.