Circulating levels of Th1 and Th2 chemokines in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

•Serum levels of preferential Th1 chemoattractants (IP-10) and Th2 chemoattractants (TARC and MDC) were evaluated in AS patients.•Both the level of Th1 and Th2 chemoattractants elevated in the serum of AS patients.•The level of IP-10 was correlated with clinical or laboratory findings of AS, while the levels of TARC and MDC were not.•The levels of both Th1 and Th2 chemokines were decreased by blockade of TNF-α. Although chemokines are critical elements for the selective attraction and activation of various leukocyte subsets in the inflammatory process, there are few findings concerning T helper (Th) 1 or Th2 chemokines in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This study was designed to determine whether serum levels of chemokines that are preferentially chemotactic for Th1 (IFN-gamma-inducible protein-10, IP-10/CXCL10) and Th2 (thymus and activation regulated chemokine, TARC/CCL17) and (macrophage derived chemokine, MDC/CCL22) cells were elevated and whether they correlated with the clinical features in patients with AS. Forty-two patients with axial AS and 25 healthy controls were enrolled into the study. Serum levels of chemokines (IP-10, TARC and MDC) and cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-4) were examined using ELISA. The disease activity was evaluated by Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS). Serum levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Serum chemokine levels of IP-10, TARC and MDC were significantly higher in patients with AS than those in healthy controls. Serum cytokine levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α were also significantly increased, but the levels of IL-4 were not. Furthermore, IP-10 levels in AS patients correlated with ESP, CRP and ASDAS, while the levels of TARC and MDC did not correlate with these clinic indexes. Correlation analysis between the levels of chemokines and cytokines revealed a positive correlation between IP-10 and TNF-α. The levels of both Th1 and Th2 chemokines decreased under blockade of TNF-α. Our results suggest that both a Th1 chemoattractant IP-10 and Th2 chemoattractants, TARC and MDC, cooperatively play a role in the development of AS.