Regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines in Brazilian living-related renal transplant recipients according to creatinine plasma levels.

Aim: The maintenance of stable graft function in renal transplanted recipients (RTR) is a challenge for healthcare staff. The ideal biomarkers must have significant predictive values to monitor the intricate renal function response triggered after renal transplantation. The main purpose in this study was to evaluate the regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines as biomarkers of allograft function in living-related renal transplant patients.

Methods: Regulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokine plasma levels were measured by flow cytometry in 120 living-related renal transplanted patients categorized into three groups according to creatinine plasma levels: creatinine less than 1.4 mg/dL (C1), creatinine within 1.4-2.0 mg/dL (C2) and more than 2.0 mg/dL (C3). Patients were also classified as 'low' or 'high' cytokine producers. Clinical data were obtained from patients' medical record.

Results: We have found a peak of regulatory cytokines in RTR with low creatinine levels as well as a peak of IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokine in patients with high creatinine levels. C1 and C3 groups showed a mixed pro-inflammatory (IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-12 and IFN-γ) and regulatory (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) cytokine pattern and C2 had a predominant pro-inflammatory profile. C3 group showed a higher frequency of high pro-inflammatory cytokine producers compared to C1.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that regulatory cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 could be good biomarkers associated with stable renal function, while pro-inflammatory cytokines seems to be potential markers in RTR related to high creatinine plasma levels, specially IL-6 despite of its borderline values.