Eriksson Lars B, Eriksson Mats B, Gordh Torsten, Larsson Anders O
Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
NOVA Medical School, New University of Lisbon, 1099-085 Lisbon, Portugal.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Apr 25;26(9):4065. doi: 10.3390/ijms26094065.
The cytokine network plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses and facilitating intercellular communication. Cytokines are essential in numerous physiological and pathological processes. This study aimed to investigate associations between blood cell counts and a broad range of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. We included one hundred and sixty-five essentially healthy individuals in this study, which was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Dnr 2015/378) and registered in EudraCT (2014-004235-39). Blood samples were collected for blood cell counts and analysis of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors using the Proseek Multiplex Inflammation kit, Olink Bioscience, Uppsala, Sweden. Correlations between the different markers were calculated using Spearman rank correlations, adjusted for multiplicity and for multiple testing, with a significance threshold of < 0.05. There were significant associations between platelet count and 23 cytokines, between white blood cell count and 8 cytokines, and between erythrocyte volume fractions and 19 cytokines. IL-6 had a central role within the cytokine network associated with platelets and was also associated with white blood cells and neutrophil cells. These findings emphasize the integrated nature of immune and hematological responses, where blood cell parameters are associated with systemic cytokine activity. The observed intercytokine associations, including cross-family interactions, may help to highlight regulatory pathways, providing potential targets for biomarker development and therapeutic intervention in immune-mediated conditions.
细胞因子网络在调节免疫反应和促进细胞间通讯中起着关键作用。细胞因子在众多生理和病理过程中至关重要。本研究旨在调查血细胞计数与多种细胞因子、趋化因子和生长因子之间的关联。我们纳入了165名基本健康的个体参与本研究，该研究获得了瑞典伦理审查委员会（编号2015/378）的批准，并在欧盟临床试验数据库（EudraCT，编号2014 - 004235 - 39）中注册。采集血样进行血细胞计数，并使用瑞典乌普萨拉的Olink Bioscience公司的Proseek多重炎症检测试剂盒分析细胞因子、趋化因子和生长因子。使用Spearman等级相关性计算不同标志物之间的相关性，并针对多重性和多次检验进行调整，显著性阈值为<0.05。血小板计数与23种细胞因子、白细胞计数与8种细胞因子、红细胞体积分数与19种细胞因子之间存在显著关联。白细胞介素 - 6在与血小板相关的细胞因子网络中起核心作用，并且还与白细胞和中性粒细胞相关。这些发现强调了免疫和血液学反应的整合性质，其中血细胞参数与全身细胞因子活性相关。观察到的细胞因子间关联，包括跨家族相互作用，可能有助于突出调节途径，为免疫介导疾病中的生物标志物开发和治疗干预提供潜在靶点。
