Chronic prostatitis is a common male disease with a high incidence rate and a serious impact on the patients' quality of life. The pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis remains unclear though it is considered to be possibly related to infection, inflammation, and abnormal pelvic nerve muscle activity. Recently, a growing number of studies have reported immune imbalance and changes of inflammatory cytokines in patients with chronic prostatitis as well as a close correlation of abnormal immune response with the occurrence of diseases, pelvic pain symptoms, mental symptoms, hyperalgesia, and so on. This review summarizes the latest advances in the studies of immunologic mechanisms of chronic prostatitis.
Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; blood ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; immunology ; Male ; Pelvic Pain ; immunology ; Prostatitis ; blood ; immunology ; Quality of Life

Cytokines ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; secretion ; Ubiquitin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of mannan-binding lectin (MBL) on the functions of human polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs).

METHODSELISA and Dot blot were performed to examine the binding between MBL and the microorganisms. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy were employed to analyze the phagocytosis of FITC-labeled microorganisms by the PMNs. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and CD11b mRNA in the PMNs, and ELISA used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the supernatants of PMN culture. Nitro-blue tetrazolium reduction assay was used to estimate the levels of superoxide production.

RESULTSMBL bound to the microorganisms in a dose-dependent manner. MBL had no significant effect on phagocytosis of C. albicans and E.coli by the PMNs in the absence of human serum, but in presence of mixed MBL-deficient human sera, MBL promoted the phagocytosis of C. albicans, which could be blocked by mannan. Mannan treatment increased the expressions of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and CD11b and enhanced superoxide production in the PMNs.

CONCLUSIONMBL can promote phagocytosis of microorganisms by PMNs and increase the expressions of proinflammatory cytokines from PMNs in a complement lectin pathway-dependent manner.

Candida albicans ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytokines ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; immunology ; Humans ; Mannose-Binding Lectin ; blood ; Neutrophils ; immunology ; Phagocytosis ; Superoxides ; immunology

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neuro-developmental disorders in early childhood which are defined by social difficulties, communication deficits and repetitive or restrictive interests and behaviours. The etiology of ASD remains poorly understood. Much research has shown that children with ASD suffer from immunological dysfunction. This article reviews the current research progress on immunological dysfunction in children with ASD, including abnormalities in immune cells, antibodies, complements, cytokines, major histocompatibility complex and their potential association with ASD, and explores the impacts of maternal immunological activation on the immune dysfunction of children with ASD.
Autoantibodies ; blood ; Child ; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive ; etiology ; immunology ; Cytokines ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; blood ; Lymphocytes ; immunology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines and Resolvin D1 (RvD1) and their association with pathological staging of colon cancer. METHODS: Clinical data of 50 colon cancer patients (colon cancer group) admitted to the General Surgery Department of Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University from January to December 2016 and 5 ml of whole blood specimen were collected at admission. During the same period, 50 healthy volunteers were enrolled (healthy volunteer group). Inclusion criteria for the colon cancer group: colon cancer diagnosed by preoperative colonoscopy and pathology; no recent enteral or parenteral nutrition support treatment or use of oral nutrition preparation; age ≤85 years; no surgical contraindications by preoperative evaluation; no history of taking fish oil-related preparations; no radiotherapy or chemotherapy before surgery. Healthy volunteer group enrollment criteria: no history of malignant tumors; no organ with organic lesions detected by the healthy examination center of our hospital; detection indicators in normal reference range; no administration of fish oil-related preparations; age ≤ 85 years. Serum inflammatory factors(IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α) concentrations were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay; serum RvD1 concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of inflammatory factors and RvD1 were compared between the two groups, and their associations with TNM staging of colon cancer patients were analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, gender and nutrition-related indicators between the two groups (all P>0.05). There were 31 males and 19 females in the healthy volunteer group with age of (61.8±11.6) years. There were 23 males and 27 females in the colon cancer group with age of (65.4±12.4) years. According to the 7th edition of the American Cancer Society TNM staging criteria, 10 cases were stage I, 13 cases stage II, 17 cases stage III, and 10 cases stage IV. Compared with healthy volunteer group, colon cancer group had higher serum IL-1β [(3.89±0.24)×10 μg/L vs.(1.55±0.37)×10 μg/L, t=37.52, P<0.01], higher IL-6 [(129.14±3.07)×10 μg/L vs.(51.46±3.14)×10 μg/L, t=125.08, P<0.01], higher IL-10 [(100.59±8.69)×103 μg/L vs.(27.57±4.77)×10 μg/L, t=52.09, P<0.01] and higher TNF-α [(114.31±4.43)×10 μg/L vs.(41.04±5.27)×10 μg/L, t=75.25, P<0.01], while lower RvD1 [(34.19±1.93)×10 μg/L vs.(77.76±1.02)×10 μg/L, t=140.56, P<0.01], all the differences were statistically significant. Subgroup analysis revealed that concentrations of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10 and TNF-α gradually increased with the advancement of TNM staging (P<0.01). In stage III, concentrations of IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-10 were the highest, TNF-α concentration was the highest in stage IV. RvD1 concentration gradually decreased with the advancement of TNM staging(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Compared with healthy volunteers, the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines in colon cancer patients increase significantly while the level of RvD1 decreases significantly. Both are associated with higher TNM stage of colon cancer.
Aged ; Colonic Neoplasms ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; Cytokines ; blood ; Docosahexaenoic Acids ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVEThis study examined the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in peripheral blood of premature infants with chronic lung disease (CLD) in order to investigate the possible role of immunologic factors in CLD.

METHODSTwenty-six premature infants who had been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for 28 days were classified into CLD (n=14) and non-CLD (control, n=12) groups. IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α concentrations in peripheral blood were measured by multiplex technique (Bio-plex).

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in peripheral blood levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThere are no significant changes in peripheral blood levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in premature infants with CLD on the non-acute phase. Immunologic factors might not play a key role in CLD on the phase.

Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; immunology ; Lung Diseases ; immunology ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study the pathogenesis role of immune system activation in AIDS related Kaposi's sarcoma(AIDS-KS).

METHODSThe serum levels of sFas, beta 2-microglobin, IL-10, IL-16, IL-18, IL-6 and sIL-4R were detected by ELISA in 8 AIDS-KS patients, 28 patients with HIV infection but without Kaposi's sarcoma(HIV-NKS) and 16 normal controls. The lymphocyte and their subsets, CD38(+) CD8, HLA-DR(+)CD8 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) in 12 AIDS-KS and 32 HIV-NKS were detected by flow cytometer.

RESULTSBeta 2-MG and sIL-4R in HIV-NKS were significantly higher than those in normal controls(P<0.05), IL-16 in HIV-NKS was significantly lower than that in controls(P<0.05). IL-18 was higher in both AIDS-KS and HIV-NKS compared with normal controls. In AIDS-KS, CD3, CD4, CD8, NK and HLA-DR(+)CD8 were lower than those in HIV-NKS whereas CD19 and CD38(+)CD8 were higher than those in HIV-NKS. But the difference was not statistically(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAlthough both AIDS-KS and HIV-NKS demonstrate some activation of immune system, there appears to be no significant difference between immune responses in KS and NKS patients. These data suggest that the activation of the immune system is unlikely to contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of AIDS-KS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; complications ; immunology ; Cytokines ; blood ; HLA-DR Antigens ; blood ; Humans ; Interleukin-16 ; blood ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; etiology ; immunology

Acute Disease ; Child ; Cytokines ; blood ; Humans ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; blood ; immunology

Blood Platelets ; physiology ; Cytokines ; blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Thrombocytopenia ; drug therapy ; etiology ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in T lymphocyte subsets and plasma Th1/Th2 cytokine levels in patients with occupational chronic lead poisoning.

METHODSFlow cytometric analysis was used to count the numbers of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ cells and cytometric bead array CBA capture technique was used to quantify plasma IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma concentrations. Twenty-three patients with occupational chronic lead poisoning and 20 controls were examined.

RESULTSCompared with control group, CD3+ CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 ratios decreased in patients with occupational chronic lead poisoning. The plasma IL-2 level were significantly raised while the IL-10 and IFN-gamma were reduced in patients with occupational chronic lead poisoning.

CONCLUSIONST lymphocyte subsets and plasma Th1/Th2 cytokine levels could be a new parameter to assess lead immunotoxicity.

Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lead Poisoning ; blood ; immunology ; Male ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Young Adult