Studies on the cytokines in heart failure

本研究表明，急性心肌炎和心肌病患者循环中细胞因子水平升高，提示细胞因子在这些疾病的心肌损伤发病机制中可能起一定作用。在我们的EMC病毒性心肌炎动物模型中，急性期血浆肿瘤坏死因子-α升高，外源性抗肿瘤坏死因子-α抗体可改善存活和心肌损伤，提示肿瘤坏死因子-α在发病机制中的重要作用。在该模型中，肿瘤坏死因子-α和白介素β的信使RNA持续表达。维司力农是一种新近开发的肌力增强剂，通过抑制肿瘤坏死因子-α的产生等免疫调节作用治疗EMC病毒性心肌炎。维司力农抑制心力衰竭患者外周血中各种细胞因子的产生，减少细胞因子的释放可能是该药治疗心力衰竭的有利作用之一。

This study showed that increased circulating cytokines were detected in patients with acute myocarditis and cardiomyopathy and suggested that cytokines may play some role in the pathogenesis of myocardial injury in these diseases. In our animal model of EMC virus myocarditis, plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -alpha was elevated in the acute stage and exogenously administered anti-TNF-alpha antibody improved survival and myocardial lesion, suggesting importance of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis. Persistent expression of messenger RNA of TNF-alpha and IL-beta was seen in this model. A recently developed inotropic agent, vesnarinone was effective in the treatment of EMC virus myocarditis by its immunomodulating effect such as inhibition of production of TNF-alpha.Vesnarinone inhibited the production of various cytokines by peripheral blood from patients with heart failure and the reduction of cytokine release may contribute to the beneficial effect of the drug in the treatment of heart failure.