Interleukin-1 beta, -6 and interferon-gamma productions in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Abstract

In order to investigate cytokine productions in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), we studied the production of interleukin (IL)-1 β, -6 and interferon (IFN)-γ by cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in peritonitis-free CAPD patients. The correlation of cytokine production with plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH) and albumin levels was also evaluated. While the release of IL-1 β was not markedly different from controls release of IL-6 from 24-hour cultured PBMCs was significantly greater than that of controls, (Mean ± S.D., IL-6: 2186.8 ± 1217.9 pg/ml, vs 1516.3 ± 767.9, P <0.05). The addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 µg/ml, significantly stimulated IL-1 β and -6 production of PBMCs in CAPD patients and controls, compared to an unstimulated condition. The LPS-induced IL-1 β production was also not markedly different from controls, whereas LPS-induced IL-6 production was significantly higher than controls (IL-6: 13,220.7 ± 7177.4 vs 7411.4 ± 1236.9, P <0.05). However, the percentage increases of IL-6 production stimulated with LPS in CAPD patients were not significantly different from controls (p > 0.05). No difference of baseline IFN-γ was detected between CAPD patients controls, but phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 10 µg/ml)-stimulated IFN-γ release was significantly higher in CAPD patients than controls (2425.9 ± 1565.0 pg/ml vs 1364.0 ± 755.1, P <0.05). There was no significant correlation between PTH and, IL-1 β, serum albumin level and LPS-stimulated IL-6 production (r = 0.54, P <0.05). In conclusion, CAPD seems to partly induce activation of PBMCs with an enhanced release of IL-6 and IFN-γ, and CAPD patients with higher serum albumin levels tend to show higher IL-6 production in immune response.