IL-6, but not TNF-α, increases plasma YKL-40 in human subjects

• Published in: Cytokine (Philadelphia, Pa.) Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 152 - 155
• Main Authors: Nielsen, Anders R., Plomgaard, Peter, Krabbe, Karen S., Johansen, Julia S., Pedersen, Bente K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2011
• Subjects: Adipokines; Adult; Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; Cytokines; Glycoproteins - blood; Humans; IL-6; Infusions, Intravenous; Interleukin-6 - administration & dosage; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukin-6 - pharmacology; Lectins - blood; Male; TNF-α; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - administration & dosage; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; YKL-40; Cytokines; TNF-α; YKL-40; IL-6
• ISSN: 1043-4666; 1096-0023
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2011.03.014

Plasma levels of YKL-40 are elevated in patients with systemic infection, inflammatory disorders and cancer. Both monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils, and cancer cells have the capacity to produce YKL-40, but the regulation during the inflammatory response is unknown. To study the possible role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the regulation of YKL-40 plasma levels, we included healthy men, who received either recombinant human (rh)IL-6 ( n = 6), rhTNF-α ( n = 8) or vehicle ( n = 7) for 3 h. The plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-α reached ∼150 and ∼18 pg/ml, respectively, during the infusions. Following the IL-6 infusion, the plasma level of YKL-40 increased from ∼30 to ∼57 ng/ml ( p < 0.05) at 24 h, and returned to normal values after 48 h. The plasma level of YKL-40 did not change during TNF-α infusion or infusion of vehicle. These data demonstrate that IL-6, but not TNF-α, has a key-role in the regulation of plasma YKL-40 levels during inflammation.