Cytokine production by peripheral blood monocytes during the normal human ovulatory menstrual cycle.

Background: There is considerable evidence that hormone-driven changes resembling an inflammatory response occur in the vascular compartment during the menstrual cycle, and peripheral blood monocytes may be central in the process. We investigated whether there is a cyclical change in intrinsic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by monocytes in the ovulatory menstrual cycle, and whether there is a circulating factor that influences the pattern of cytokine production in a cyclical manner.

Methods: Monocytes were purified by density-gradient centrifugation followed by countercurrent centrifugal elutriation, from the blood of normal women (n = 10) pre- and post-ovulation.

Relationship of tumour necrosis factor alpha gene polymorphisms and neuropsychiatric lupus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem disorder which appears to be influenced by genetic make-up. In this study we determine allele frequency and genotype distribution of TNFalpha polymorphisms in two populations of SLE patients (with and without neuropsychiatric manifestations) in order to determine whether the rare allele (TNF2) confers susceptibility for neuropsychiatric disease in SLE. Patients with SLE were retrospectively reviewed to determine presence (n = 17) or absence (n = 47) of documented neuropsychiatric manifestations attributable to SLE.

Evaluation of a new Apo-1/Fas promoter polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objective: We looked for an association between the MvaI polymorphism, a recently reported polymorphism on the promoter of the Apo-1/Fas gene, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods: Two cohorts of Caucasian RA patients (total number = 185) and one cohort of SLE patients (n = 103) were studied. The MvaI polymorphism was typed by polymerase chain reaction and followed by MvaI digestion and gel electrophoresis.

In vivo production of cytokines and beta (C-C) chemokines in human recurrent herpes simplex lesions--do herpes simplex virus-infected keratinocytes contribute to their production?

Recurrent human herpes simplex lesions are infiltrated by macrophages and CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, which secrete cytokines and chemokines. Vesicle fluid was examined by ELISA for the presence of cytokines and beta (C-C) chemokines. On the first day of the lesion, high concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1beta, and IL-6, moderate concentrations of IL-1alpha and IL-10, and low concentrations of IL-12 and beta chemokines were found; levels of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1beta were significantly higher than levels of MIP-1alpha and RANTES.

Lack of association between an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Non-MHC linked genes may contribute to genetic predisposition to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. The possibility that cytokine genes may be involved was raised by the observation of increased frequency in expression of an uncommon allele of an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism and SLE in a recent U.K.