Serum cytokine profile of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate serum cytokine concentrations in healthy individuals and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients. METHODS: A total of 59 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients and 44 healthy controls were included. Multiplex analysis of interleukins 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 and 17 and interferon-gamma with respect to the presence of laryngeal carcinoma, tumour-node-metastasis T stage, nodal involvement and larynx subsite was performed. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed no difference in serum cytokine levels between patients and healthy controls. The serum interleukin-12 concentration was significantly higher in patients with early (T1-2) than in those with late (T3-4) stage disease and without nodal involvement (p < 0.05). Serum interleukin-10 levels were significantly higher in T3-4 stage than in T1-2 stage patients (p < 0.05). Additionally, serum interleukin 10, 12 and 13 concentrations (p < 0.05) and interleukin-6 concentration (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in patients with T1-2 stage supraglottic vs glottic tumours. CONCLUSION: Serum cytokines level cannot be used as laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma markers. Progression from T1-2 to T3-4 stage is followed by decreased serum interleukin-12 levels and increased interleukin-10 levels. Nodal involvement is associated with lower serum interleukin-12 levels. In patients with early stage tumours, serum interleukin 6, 10, 12 and 13 concentrations are significantly higher in those with supraglottic vs glottic tumours.

The role of gut hormones in appetite regulation (review).

Eating process is an aggregate of complex and different forms of behavior. Its regulation is based on energy homeostasis and appetite control which includes two components: the homeostatic and the hedonistic control. Important signals in appetite regulation are gut-derived hormones. They are produced by enteroendocrine cells in response to nutrient and energy intake, and achieve their effects by influencing brain structures involved in food intake regulation. The key brain structure involved in this process is the hypothalamus. Gut hormones reach the hypothalamus from the circulation or by the vagal nerve via the nucleus of the solitary tract. Among gut peptides, ghrelin is the only orexigenic hormone, leading to an increase in food intake and body weight. All others, such as cholecystokinin, glucagon like peptide-1, oxyntomodulin, peptide tyrosine tyrosine or pancreatic polypeptide, are anorexigenic, leading to decrease in food intake. Also, gut-derived endocannabinoids exert orexigenic effect on appetite. Keeping in mind the growing problem of obesity, the crucial issue when considering gut derived peptides is to understand their mechanisms of acting because of potential role in clinical therapy, and discovering long-lasting gut peptides or their analogues, with no or minimal side effects.