THE USE OF MEASURING CYTOKINE CONCENTRATIONS IN URINE IN MEDICAL PRACTICE

Abstract

The paper presents data on the study of the content of cytokines (IL-1β, RAIL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF-α, IFN-γ) in morning urine using enzyme immunoassay in healthy individuals (n=20) and in patients with acute glomerulonephritis (n=93). Determination of cytokine levels in patients was carried out at the onset of the disease and 12 months after the manifestation of the disease. The obtained indicators of cytokine content in urine are presented as absolute values in pg/ml and values normalized to creatinine, calculated using the formula: cytokine level (pg/ml) / urine creatinine (µmol/ml). A study was made of changes in the content of cytokines in urine during glomerulonephritis relative to a group of healthy individuals, as well as the dynamics of cytokine content in urine over a 12-month observation period. The results of the study showed that absolute values of cytokines in urine can distort the true picture of the cytokine profile of urine in kidney pathology. Normalized values of the predominant number of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A and TNF-α) in patients with glomerulonephritis were significantly higher than the corresponding indicators in healthy individuals. Normalized cytokine values were shown to be more sensitive indicators than absolute values when analyzing differences in the cytokine profile in patients with glomerulonephritis depending on the acute and chronic course of the disease. These indicators influenced the outcome of glomerulonephritis, assessed, as a rule, 12 months after the manifestation of the disease. Thus, low levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-17A found at the onset of the disease in combination with a high level of RAIL-1β determined the chronicity of glomerulonephritis. So, values of cytokine content in urine normalized by creatinine expand the possibilities of using assessment of the cytokine profile of urine to establish changes in the content of cytokines in urine in kidney pathology and predict the nature of the clinical course of glomerulonephritis.