Relationship between pro-anti-inflammatory cytokines, T-cell activation and CA 125 in obese patients with heart failure

BACKGROUND This researcher previously found that serum levels of some inflammatory cytokines are elevated in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hence, this study investigated the relationship between circulating levels of pro-anti-inflammatory cytokines, T-cell activation marker and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA 125) for the first time in obese Egyptian patients with heart failure (HF). MATERIAL/METHODS This study included 60 HF patients, and 30 normal controls, with age range 50-70 years. HF patients were divided into 2 groups: non-obese mild HF according to clinical status (New York Heart Association Class) (NYHA class I/II) (n = 20) and obese severe HF (NYHA class III/IV) (n = 40). Serum pro-anti-inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10), T-cell activation marker (sIL-2R/CD25), and CA 125; tumor marker were measured by ELISA. RESULTS Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 as pro-anti-inflammatory cytokines, sIL-2R/CD25 as T-cell activation marker, and CA 125 as tumor marker were significantly higher in HF patients than in normal controls. Moreover, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, sIL-2R/CD25, and IL-10, as well as CA 125 were significantly higher in the obese than in the non-obese mild HF patients. Correlation analysis showed that CA 125 was positively related to BMI, TNF-α, IL-6, and sIL-2R/CD25 in the HF patients group. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that CA 125 is markedly elevated in HF patients, and is correlated with serum TNF-α, IL-6, and sIL-2R/CD25 levels. Therefore, we can conclude that CA125, being a tumor marker, is closely related to the cytokine system.