Comparison of cytokines IL10, IFN-Y, TNF-α, TGF-β and antioxidant enzymes glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in saliva and serum of Iranian patients with alopecia totalis

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using saliva instead of serum (as a simpler method without the need for blood sampling) to determine the level of some cytokines and enzymes. In this study, the levels of cytokines IL10, IFN-Y, TNF-α, TGF-β and the antioxidant enzymes glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase were measured in the saliva and serum of three patients with alopecia totalis by ELISA. Comparison of the levels of these substances in saliva samples at 5 am, saliva at 11 am and serum at 11 am with Friedman test did not show a significant difference. Therefore, saliva samples may be a good alternative to serum in the study of immunological factors.