Proinflammatory cytokines and elastase-alpha-1-antitrypsin in Argentine hemorrhagic fever

Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF) is a disease caused by Junin virus. In th e acute phase, patients present hematologic and neurologic involvement with high levels of interferon-alpha 1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alp ha). Nineteen patients with a confirmed diagnosis of AHF were studied: six severe, four moderate and nine mild cases. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (I L-6), IL-6 soluble receptor (IL-6sR), IL-8, IL-10, and elastase-alpha 1-ant itrypsin complex (E-alpha 1AT) were assayed by ELISAs. Levels of IL-6, IL-8 , and IL-10 were high in nine, 12, and 13 patients, respectively, while lev els of IL-6sR were high in two patients and low in one patient. Seven patie nts had increased levels of E-alpha 1AT. Significant correlations were foun d between levels of both IL-8 and IL-10 with those of TNF-alpha as well as between IL-8 and E-alpha 1AT. These data demonstrate activation of pro-infl ammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine pathways, and statistical analysis showed differences among the clinical forms of illness. This study shows th at IL-8 plays an essential role in neutrophil activation in AHF patients as demonstrated in other infectious diseases.