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EFFECT OF SIMULATED MODERATE HYPOXIC ENVIRONMENT ON IL-6 AND IL-10 PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS

Abstract

M. Mattappally, Y. Ejim, S. Kwan, N. Stojanovic, PL. Crosswhite

Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA

Exposure to low-oxygen concentration environments can result in oxygen deficit in the tissues and blood, a condition known as hypoxia and hypoxemia. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a condition that occurs when cells are subjected to hypoxic stress, attributed to physiological changes such as acidosis, inflammation, altered cerebral venous flow, and vasogenic edema. It is known that hypoxia results in the release of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6 and interleukin (IL)-10 but their role in the pathogenesis of AMS is unclear. PURPOSE: This study aims to determine the change of four human subjects’ plasma IL-6 and IL-10 in response to simulated high-altitude environment conditions. METHODS: We conducted an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on the serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 of participants before and after exposure to decreased oxygen levels in an environmental chamber. The participant’s Lake Louise scores (an AMS diagnostic tool) were taken to determine correlations between their IL-6 and IL-10 levels. RESULTS: The mean IL-6 levels in our four subjects was 2.5 pg/mL. We observed no correlation between subjects’ IL-6 plasma levels and their Lake Louise scores (r=.991, p=.276). Results for IL-10 have yet to be analyzed. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate no clear relationship between the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and a subject’s Lake Louise score in the four subjects tested. Future studies should include analysis of IL-10 and a larger sample size.

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