Sequential production of leukaemia inhibitory factor by blood cell culture in patients with ARDS
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Insights
Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was produced by blood cells in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). LIF production appears to indicate ARDS severity and mortality risk.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a cytokine with known roles in various biological processes.
- Elevated LIF levels have been observed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the production of LIF by blood cells cultured from patients diagnosed with ARDS.
- To explore the potential of LIF as a biomarker for ARDS severity.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected from 8 ARDS patients, 8 pneumonia patients, and 5 healthy controls.
- Blood cells were cultured for 24, 48, and 72 hours.
- LIF concentration in cell-free supernatant was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Main Results:
- LIF was detectable in some ARDS patients' blood cell cultures, particularly at 72 hours (4/5 patients).
- Detectable LIF at 72 hours correlated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in ARDS patients.
- Of the 5 ARDS patients who died, 4 had detectable LIF levels.
Conclusions:
- LIF production by blood cells was observed specifically in ARDS patients, though not universally.
- LIF production may serve as a valuable indicator of ARDS severity.
- Further validation with larger patient cohorts is recommended.
Objective:
Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a polyfunctional cytokine integrated in cytokine networks and its concentration has been shown to be elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The aim of our study was to evaluate the production of LIF by culturing blood cells from patients with ARDS.
Patients:
8 patients with ARDS, 8 patients with pneumonia and 5 healthy subjects.
Measurements And Results:
The blood samples were taken on day 1 after onset of ARDS. LIF was measured, in the cell-free supernatant, with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after 24 h, 48 h and 72 h of blood cell culture. LIF was detectable in some patients in the ARDS group: at i) at 24 h and 48 h: in 2 patients ii) at 72 h in 4/5 patients (140 +/- 231 pg/ml). Only in the 4 patients in whom LIF was measured at 72 h was ARDS associated with the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Furthermore, among the 5 patients with ARDS who subsequently died, 4 had a detectable LIF.
Conclusions:
We have observed that LIF was produced only in ARDS, but not in all patients. The production of LIF seems to be a good indicator of the severity of ARDS. These preliminary results must be confirmed by a larger study.
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