02946nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001400054653001400068653002100082653001800103653001200121100002000133700002200153700001500175700001700190700001600207700001800223700001400241700001400255245010500269856008100374300001200455490000700467520216800474022001402642       2021                            d  c01/202110aBiomarker10acytokines10aerythema nodosum10ainterleukin 610aleprosy1 aVilani-Moreno F1 aBrito-de-Souza VN1 aSilva SMUR1 aBarbosa ASAA1 aSartori BGC1 aCampanelli AP1 aBarreto J1 aVirmond M00aIncreased serum levels of interleukin-6 in erythema nodosum leprosum suggest its use as a biomarker.  uhttps://ijdvl.com/view-pdf/?article=af6259ffe46cd88fc57cbd0340de19f5fzdT5zo=  a190-1980 v873 a<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is a frequent complication of multibacillary leprosy that can result in significant morbidity, including peripheral nerve damage and physical disability. The identification of possible serum markers could be a valuable tool for the early detection of ENL.</p><p><b>AIMS: </b>The purpose of this study was to evaluate selected serum mediators involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses to identify possible immunomarkers for ENL.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>The levels of interleukin-2, interleukin-4, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interleukin-17, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor, nitric oxide and anti-phenolic glycolipid-I antibodies were measured in the sera of leprosy patients with ENL [at the beginning of reaction (M0) and 1 month later (M1)], and then compared with the levels of the same markers in patients with untreated multibacillary leprosy without ENL (controls with leprosy: CTRL) and healthy individuals (healthy controls: CTRH).</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Significantly higher levels of serum interleukin-6 were observed in M0 than in CTRL. In addition, pairwise comparisons showed higher levels of interleukin-6 in M0 compared to M1. Levels of tumor necrosis factor were higher in M0 than in CTRL, with no significant difference between M0 and M1. There were no differences in the levels of interleukin-2, interleukin-4, interleukin-10, interleukin-17 or interferon-γ between groups. The CTRL group had higher levels of nitric oxide compared to M0 and M1. High levels of anti-phenolic glycolipid-I were observed in M0, M1 and CTRL than in CTRH.</p><p><b>LIMITATIONS: </b>Three patients were not assessed at M1, decreasing the number of evaluated patients from 14 to 11.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>High-serum levels of interleukin-6 were observed during ENL, primarily in patients with more severe reactions; levels decreased after specific therapy, suggesting a role for this cytokine in pathogenesis and its utility as an ENL biomarker. Further studies should explore whether interleukin-6 could also be used as a predictive marker for ENL or as a specific target for its treatment.</p>  a0973-3922