The relationship among serum cytokines, chemokine, nitric oxide, and leptin in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cytokines, leptin and vascular tone-related chemokine and nitric oxide (NO) in type 1 diabetic children. Design and Methods: Serum samples were collected from 58 children with type 1 diabetes and 33 of their healthy siblings. Results: Serum interleukin (IL)-8 was significantly higher and serum nitric oxide was significantly lower in the children with diabetes than in their healthy siblings. Stepwise regression analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlations between IL-1β and IL-6, IL-1β and nitric oxide, IL-4 and tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-4 and leptin, IL-8 and IL-2, and interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-6, as well as significantly inversed correlations between IL-6 and IL-2, IL-8 and interferon-γ, and leptin and TNF-α in siblings, not in the children with diabetes. However, there were significantly positive correlations between IL-2 and IL-4, IL-2 and leptin, IL-4 and IL-6, and TNF-α and IL-6 in children with diabetes. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the alterations of circulating IL-8 and nitric oxide levels and cytokine network in children with diabetes may be associated with the cardiovascular disease in their adulthood.