Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
Accurate and Simple Measurement of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokine IL-1β using a Whole Blood Stimulation Assay
Published on: March 1, 2011
Interleukin 37; a possible marker of arterial stiffness in Behçet's disease
Mohamed A Hussein1, Mostafa Mahmoud Ramadan1, Manal Abd El Moneam1
1Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Insights
Interleukin 37 (IL-37) levels were lower in Behçet
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Interleukin 37 (IL-37) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine.
- Its role in macro and microcirculation in Behçet's disease (BD) is not well understood.
- Previous studies on atherosclerosis in BD using common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) and ankle brachial index (ABI) yielded conflicting results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate flow parameters of CCA, ABI, and nailfold videocapillaroscopy in relation to serum IL-37 in BD patients.
- To investigate the association between IL-37 and atherosclerosis and inflammation markers in BD.
Main Methods:
- Duplex ultrasound to measure CCA IMT, velocities, and ABI in 40 BD patients and 30 controls.
- Nailfold videocapillaroscopy to assess capillary morphology.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure serum IL-37 levels.
Main Results:
- BD patients showed higher CCA IMT, resistivity index, and peak-systolic velocity, and lower end-diastolic velocity, capillary loop dimensions, and serum IL-37 compared to controls.
- Higher serum IL-37 was observed in patients with ABI ≥ 1.4 (stiff arteries).
- Serum IL-37 negatively correlated with CCA end-diastolic velocity (atherosclerosis) and positively with posterior tibial artery ABI and CRP (inflammation).
Conclusions:
- IL-37 may be linked to arterial stiffness and could serve as a potential marker for arteriosclerosis in BD.
- Changes in CCA parameters indicate increased atherosclerosis in large arteries.
- Vasculitis and medial disease might be more prominent in smaller crural arteries.
Background:
Interleukin 37 (IL-37) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine previously studied in Behçet's disease (BD) and atherosclerosis. However, little is known about its relation to macro and microcirculations in BD. Previous studies relied mainly on common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) and ankle brachial index (ABI) to study atherosclerosis in BD with conflicting results. This study evaluated flow parameters of CCA, ABI and nailfold videocapillaroscopy in relation to serum IL-37 in BD.
Methods:
Forty BD patients and 30 healthy controls were included. IMT, peak-systolic, end-diastolic velocities, resistivity index of CCA and ABI were measured by duplex ultrasound. Capillary loop, length, diameter and morphology were recorded by nailfold videocapillaroscopy. Serum IL-37 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:
Compared to controls, patients had higher mean CCA IMT (p < 0.0001), resistivity index (p < 0.001) and peak-systolic velocity (p=0.09) and lower mean CCA end-diastolic velocity (p=0.002), capillary loop, length, arterial, venous limbs diameter and serum IL-37 (p < 0.001). Patients with ABI ≥ 1.4 "indicating stiff arteries" had higher serum IL-37 (p < 0.05 on left, p>0.05 right sides). Serum IL-37 correlated negatively with left CCA end-diastolic velocity "denoting atherosclerosis" and positively with left posterior tibial artery ABI and CRP (p < 0.03) "denoting inflammation". Multiple regression analysis showed only association with left CCA end-diastolic velocity.
Conclusions:
IL-37 may be related to arterial stiffness in BD and could be used as a possible marker of arteriosclerosis in the disease for further investigations. Changes of CCA peak-systolic, end-diastolic velocities, resistivity index and IMT refer to increased atherosclerosis in larger elastic arteries. In smaller muscular "crural" arteries, vasculitis with possible medial disease may be more evident.
