Serial changes of cytokines in Crohn's disease treated with infliximab.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Infliximab (IFX) has been reported to be useful as induction therapy and/or maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease (CD). However, the effects of IFX on serial changes in cytokine levels have not been well characterized. We examined cytokine levels in CD patients before and after administration of IFX.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 37 patients with active CD were enrolled (24 men, 13 women; mean age, 31.9 years). Patients were given IFX 5mg/kg intravenously. Serum levels of 17 cytokines were simultaneously determined using a Bio-Plex suspension array system before treatment and, 4 and 8 weeks after IFX treatment. Patients were divided into two groups according to the disease duration: the 'early treatment' group and the 'in progress' treatment group.

RESULTS

Serum IL-6, IL-7, IL-8 and MIP-1ß levels were significantly decreased in CD patients after IFX treatment compared to before treatment (p<0.05). In particular, serum levels of IL-8, IL-12 and MIP-1ß decreased significantly after IFX treatment in the 'in progress' treatment group. The changes in CD activity score (CDAI) after treatment were positively correlated with the changes of serum MIP-1ß.

CONCLUSIONS

IFX treatment reduces serum levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-12 and MIP-1ß, which appears to be mediated by the inhibition of inflammation in CD.