The search result changed since you submitted your search request. Documents might be displayed in a different sort order.
  • search hit 8 of 70
Back to Result List

Local and Systemic Cytokine Expression in Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia

Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-113041
  • Background Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the painful complication of a varicella zoster virus reactivation. We investigated the systemic and local gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression in patients with PHN. Methods Thirteen patients with PHN at the torso (Th4-S1) were recruited. Skin punch biopsies were obtained from the painful and the contralateral painless body area for intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) and cytokine profiling. Additionally, blood was withdrawn for systemic cytokine expressionBackground Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the painful complication of a varicella zoster virus reactivation. We investigated the systemic and local gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression in patients with PHN. Methods Thirteen patients with PHN at the torso (Th4-S1) were recruited. Skin punch biopsies were obtained from the painful and the contralateral painless body area for intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) and cytokine profiling. Additionally, blood was withdrawn for systemic cytokine expression and compared to blood values of healthy controls. We analyzed the gene expression of selected pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF] and interleukins [IL]-1β, IL-2, and IL-8). Results IENFD was lower in affected skin compared to unaffected skin (p<0.05), while local gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines did not differ except for two patients who had 7fold higher IL-6 and 10fold higher IL-10 gene expression in the affected skin compared to the contralateral unaffected skin sample. Also, the systemic expression of cytokines in patients with PHN and in healthy controls was similar. Conclusion While the systemic and local expression of the investigated pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines was not different from controls, this may have been influenced by study limitations like the low number of patients and different disease durations. Furthermore, other cytokines or pain mediators need to be considered.show moreshow less

Download full text files

Export metadata

Additional Services

Share in Twitter Search Google Scholar Statistics
Metadaten
Author: Nurcan Üçeyler, Michael Valet, Waldemar Kafke, Thomas R. Tölle, Claudia Sommer
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-113041
Document Type:Journal article
Faculties:Medizinische Fakultät / Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik
Language:English
Year of Completion:2014
Source:PLoS ONE 9(8): e105269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105269
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0105269
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Tag:RNA extraction; cytokines; gene expression; nerve fibres; neuropathic pain; pain sensation; shingles; skin tumors
Release Date:2015/05/18
Collections:Open-Access-Publikationsfonds / Förderzeitraum 2014
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung