Clinical value of cytokine antagonists in infectious complications

Plasma levels of antiinflammatory compounds (which counteract inflammation, cortisol, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-1ra; soluble IL-2 receptor, sIL-2r, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, sICAM-1; interleukin-10, IL-10) were synchronously determined in a consecutive series of 25 patients with severe bacterial infections. Serum levels of cortisol, IL-1ra, sIL-2r, sICAM-1 and IL-10 were significantly higher in patients with infection compared with healthy volunteers. Bacterial infection results in the production of inflammatory and proinflammatory cytokines from macrophage/monocyte, which are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We found that counter-inflammatory compounds can also be released during infectious insults. These results suggested that the biological activity of inflammatory mediators is inhibited by natural antiinflammatory compounds, and the body itself might down-regulate excessive inflammatory cascades through counteracting the inflammatory responses and restore homeostasis.