IL-6 & Inflammatory Conditions in DS

There was some talk on the ES list a year and a half ago or so about IL-6 and how it may be part of the issue with all the increased inflammatory problems present in DS. I was looking at new research in DS and happened to run across a study which showed that IL-6 does play a role in the inflammation issues associated with DS. I thought this was rather interesting. I've emailed to see if I can get the full text of this abstract, as the "free full text" link on PubMed doesn't go to anything.

Plasma nerve growth factor (NGF) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and MCP-1) in young and adult subjects with Down syndrome: an interesting pathway.

Institute of General Pathology, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Milan, Italy. mmcorsi@unimi.it

OBJECTIVES: Down's syndrome (DS) is the most frequent chromosomal aberration in men and it is invariably associated with mental retardation. MATERIAL AND
METHODS: Plasma levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) from non demented DS subjects of three different age-cohorts (2-14 years; 20-50 yrs; >60 yrs) and healthy controls were measured. No clinical and sub-clinical inflammation was apparent in DS patients. RESULTS: Plasma levels of NGF were higher in children, adult and old DS subjects than in controls. However, a significant age-related decrease of NGF levels was present in DS subjects. Serum levels of IL-6 and MCP-1 were also increased in DS children and adults, but not in older DS patients. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of circulating NGF might protect DS from clinical complications of atherosclerosis. However, the striking decrement of peripheral NGF levels with advancing age may predispose DS to clinical manifestation of dementia after adulthood.
PMID: 17187019 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]