Table 5.
Cytokine concentrations in culture supernatants of stimulated PBMCs
| GI | GII | GIII | |||||||
| IncB | IncC | EBs | IncB | IncC | EBs | IncB | IncC | EBs | |
| IL-1β |
109.4 (56.7–258.3) |
119.7 (59.6–324.1) |
159.9 (73.1–462.69) |
172.6 (68.4–393.8) |
183.2 (65.5–407.5) |
289 (73.1–491.4) |
413.36a (82.1–786.3) |
432.5b (95.1–729.8) |
568.9c (76.4–821.7) |
| IL-6 |
132.7 (54.3–457.9) |
146.3 (67.21–547.1) |
201.65 (87.9–719.82) |
487.6d (88.86–791.1) |
473.58e (98.6–564.7) |
668f (121.4–956.8) |
813.6a (300.2–1421.4) |
793.45b (312.9–1201.4) |
1335.47c (436.1–1578.3) |
| IL-10 |
183.4 (106.3–383.6) |
196.3 (87.3–446.3) |
328.4 (88.1–612.46) |
462.7 (189.2–631.3) |
411.21 (166.8–661.7) |
554.9 (246–745.2) |
1005a (414.2–1426.3) |
956.2b (437.7–1431.6) |
1472.8c (336.2–1803) |
| IL-12 |
204.8 (113.7–342.7) |
198.7 (96.8–327.1) |
342.7 (234.7–515.1) |
466.5g (173.9–712.6) |
450.1h (167.2–572.8) |
621.1i (188.3–745.8) |
167.4 (75.8–312.8) |
156.8 (88.3–345.8) |
186.36 (129.3–621.3) |
| IFN-γ |
453.7j (88.5–549.3) |
511.3k (87.3–631.6) |
578.8l (311.9–714.3) |
726.6g (351.3–1128.4) |
671.3h (454.8–1272.5) |
884.7i (557.4–1377.2) |
241.7 (142.-612.3) |
196.8 (157.6–661.7) |
263.6 (163.4–721.9) |
| TNF-α |
143.6 (54.1–312.6) |
156.3 (48.9–331.5) |
264.2 (127.4–423.7) |
314.7d (119.7–523.8) |
293.6e (127.4–623.7) |
311.7f (113–452.9) |
289.9 (97.3–411.9) |
277.2 (113–452.9) |
289.3 (125.6–543.7) |
| GM-CSF |
128.7 (63.4–156.8) |
136.4 (71.3–149.4) |
152.4 (89.4–201.1) |
263.1g (125.3–291.2) |
248.1h (111–321.2) |
320.4i (136–520) |
151.2 (76.1–184) |
163.4 (91.3–201) |
268.7 (100.1–306.9) |
Note. Data represents median values (bold). Values in parentheses depict range. All values in pg/ml unless otherwise stated. Along the horizontal axis are the stimulants IncB, IncC and EBs used in cells obtained from GI, GII and GIII and vertical axis are the cytokines secreted in cell cultures assayed using specific ELISAs.
a, b, c P < 0.05 Level of secreted cytokine in GIII compared to respective levels in groups I and II by Mann Whitney U test.
d, e, f P < 0.01 Level of secreted cytokine in GII compared to respective levels in group I by Mann Whitney U test.
g, h, i P < 0.05 Level of secreted cytokine in GII compared to respective levels in groups I and III by Mann Whitney U test.
j, k, l P < 0.05 Level of secreted cytokine in GI compared to respected levels in group III by Mann Whitney U test where, Group I (GI) comprised of healthy fertile women with no CT infection, Group II (GII) comprised of CT-positive fertile women.
Group III (GIII) comprised of CT-positive women with fertility disorders. PBMCs-Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; IncB- CT Inclusion membrane protein B; IncC- CT Inclusion membrane protein C; CT- Chlamydia trachomatis; EBs-Elementary bodies; IL-Interleukin; β-Beta; IFN-γ-Interferon gamma; TNF-α-Tumor Necrosis factor alpha; GM-CSF- Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor.