Longitudinal study of Cytokine Storm in Dengue patient by flow Cytometry

Abstract

Dengue fever (DF) is a major global health issue with an unknownimmunopathogenesis which is caused by the infection with any of the four closelyrelated serotypes of dengue virus (DENV), transmitted mainly by Aedes aegyptimosquito. In tropical and subtropical regions, DF is endemic, worldwide, and diseaseseverity is becoming more prominent. There is a need for biomarkers that can predictand explain DF susceptibility and prognosis. Our study demonstrated the serumcytokine profile in the longitudinal study of the DV-infected patients. Twenty-ninesamples were included, out of them sixteen were of dengue virus infected patients and thirteen of them were healthy controls. Six cytokines, namely IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF,IL-12p70, and IL-1β, were measured in serum using a Cytometric Bead Array (BDBioscience, USA) and a FACS Calibur-E3318 Flow Cytometer System. When comparedto the convalescent phase, the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-1β in serum of dengueinfected patients were significantly higher during the acute phase. Likewise, significantdifference was found in the levels of lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, plateletscount, PCV and RBC between acute and convalescent phase. These observations withdengue infection provides an insight to understand the immunopathogenesis ofdengue and predict the possible biological parameters for dengue fever which can actas the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic agents. Keywords: Dengue fever, Immunopathogenesis, Cytokines, Flow Cytometry