Patients with Mixed Cryoglobulinemia and HCV Infection, in Presence or Absence of Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Have High Serum Levels of (CXC MOTIF) Ligand (CXCL)9 and CXCL11 Chemokines

• Main Authors: A. Antonelli, P. Fallahi, S.M. Ferrari, S. Frascerra, A. Corrado, M. Colaci, A. Manfredi, M. Maccheroni, D. Sansonno, A.L. Zignego, M. Centanni, C. Ferri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2012-09-01
• Series: European Journal of Inflammation
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/1721727X1201000319
• ISSN: 1721-727X

No data are present in the literature regarding chemokine (CXC motif) ligand (CXCL)9 and CXCL11 circulating levels in cryoglobulinemia associated with hepatitis C (MC+HCV), in presence/absence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT). Serum CXCL9 and CXCL11 have been measured in 38 MC+HCV patients without AT (MCo), 38 MC+HCV patients with AT (MC+AT), and in matched controls without (control 1) or with thyroiditis (control 2). Serum CXCL9 and CXCL11 were significantly higher: in control 2 than control 1 ( p <0.05); in MCo than control 1 and control 2 ( p <0.001, for both); in MC+AT than control 1 and control 2 ( p <0.0001, for both), and than MCo ( p =0.01, for both). Our study demonstrates markedly high serum levels of CXCL9 and CXCL11 in patients with MC+HCV compared to healthy controls; in MC+HCV patients increased CXCL9 and CXCL11 levels were significantly associated with the presence of AT. Moreover, a strong relation between circulating CXCL9 and CXCL11 in MC+HCV has been shown.