LPS-induced IL-10 production in whole blood cultures from chronic fatigue syndrome patients is increased but supersensitive to inhibition by dexamethasone

Several causes have been held responsible for the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), including an altered hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA)-axis activity, viral infections and a reduced Th1 activity. Therefore, it was i nvestigated whether the regulation of IL-10 is different in CFS. LPS-induce d cytokine secretion in whole blood cultures showed a significant increase in IL-10 and a trend towards a decrease in IL-12 as compared with healthy c ontrols. In patients and controls, IL-12 secretion was equally sensitive to suppression by dexamethasone, whereas IL-10 secretion appeared more sensit ive in CFS-patients. In controls, IL-10 and IL-12 secretion were inversely correlated with free serum cortisol. (r = -0.492, p < 0.02 and r = -0.434, p < 0.05, respectively). In CFS, such an inverse correlation was found for IL-12 (r = -0.611, p < 0.02) but not for IL-10 (r = -0.341, ns). These data are suggestive for a disturbed glucocorticoid regulation of IL-10 in CFS. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.