Quantitative Multiplex Analysis of Low-level Cytokine Expression

摘要

Cytokines are immunomodulatory polypeptides that play key roles in both adaptive and innate immune responses. A generic term, 'cytokines' includes interleukins (acting as mediators among multiple immune cell types), chemokines (responsible for immune cell migration), lymphokines (produced by activated lymphocytes), adipokines (produced by adipocytes) and myokines (produced by muscle cells). As regulators of the immune system, cytokines act at the recognition, activation, and/ or effector phases of an immune response, modulating the development and functional activities of the subtypes of T cells, B cells and myeloid cells. The significant roles of cytokines in normal inflammatory responses and immune cell development and activation drive their involvement in a variety of disease types. Even low levels of the chronic inflammation mediated by cytokines are involved in many clinical and subclinical disease states. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FASTSTATS - Leading Causes of Death, cdc.gov. 2011), low-level chronic inflammation contributes to at least seven of the 10 leading causes of mortality in the US, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and cancer.