The Clinical Usefulness of the Measurement of Cytokines
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Jacques Bienvenu
Abstract
The utilization of accurate and sensitive methods for the measurement of cytokines in body fluids is prerequisite for the proper use of these mediators in clinical practice. Many factors contribute to the complexity of cytokine quantitation. Bioassays historically preceded immunoassays, which are now very popular, but there is a need for standardization. Nevertheless, due to the local effects of cytokines, the study of their blood levels is of limited value for an understanding of the pathophysiology of these mediators. This explains the development of alternative approaches to assess the ability of cells to produce cytokines. These include the Enzyme-Linked Immuno Spot Assay (ELISPOT), the measurement of cell-associated cytokines by flow cytometry, and the study of cytokine secretion by isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells or by whole blood test. All these techniques, associated with a local detection of cytokines by immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, appear to be complementary tools for a better understanding of the biology of cytokines. Selected examples of possible clinical applications related to infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases, allergy, transplantation and preclinical evaluation of drugs and biotechnology products are given.
Copyright © 2000 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
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Articles in the same Issue
- The Clinical Usefulness of the Measurement of Cytokines
- Measurement of Cholesterol and other Lipoprotein Constituents in the Clinical Laboratory
- Serum ras (p21) as a Marker for Occupationally Derived Lung Cancer?
- Macro Lactate Dehydrogenase in a Patient with Myocarditis
- Elimination of Serum Complexed Prostate-Specific Antigen after Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy
- Suitability of Collection Tubes with Separator Gels for Collecting and Storing Blood Samples for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)
- Influence of in vivo Hemoglobin Carbamylation on HbA1c Measurements by Various Methods
- Comparison of the Abbott IMx® and a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method for Measuring Total Plasma Homocysteine
- Evaluation of the ADVIA® Centaur™ TSH-3 Assay
- Biochemical Composition and Electrolyte Balance of "Unstimulated" Whole Human Saliva
- Evaluation of a New Simple and Rapid Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Kit for Neopterin Determination
- Analytical and Clinical Evaluation of Troponin I Determination on Dimension RXL-HM
- Use of Ion-Selective Electrodes for Blood-Electrolyte Analysis. Recommendations for Nomenclature, Definitions and Conventions
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- Macro Creatine Kinase Type 1: a Clinically Significant Marker?
- Vitamin B12 and B12-Proteins. By Bernhard Kräutler, Duilio Arigoni and Bernard T. Golding, editors
- The Bone and Mineral Manual – a Practical Guide. By Michael Kleerekoper, Ethel Sins, Michael McClung, editors
