Interleukin-7 is associated with monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and soluble E-selectin levels in peripheral blood of newly post-menopausal women

Interleukin (IL-7), which is a regulator of development and homeostatic maintenance of T and B cells, is implicated in the induction of leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion during inflammatory events. We hypothesized that circulating IL-7 is associated with cytokines and chemokines, vascular inflammatory markers and lipid profiles involved in regulating cell adhesion in post-menopausal women. Serum levels of 8 cytokines and chemokines were simultaneously measured in 200 post-menopausal women using a multiplexed human cytokine assay. C-reactive protein, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule and soluble E-selectin were measured as inflammatory markers. Serum IL-7 concentration was significantly correlated with serum MCP-1 concentration and the correlation remained after adjustment for age and body mass index (BMI). Serum IL-7 levels also showed significant positive correlations with serum levels of IL-10 and IL-6. In addition, the serum IL-7 concentration showed significant positive correlations with levels of soluble E-selectin and triglyceride after adjustment for age and BMI. We conclude that there is a relationship between circulating IL-7, MCP-1 and soluble E-selectin, and that IL-7 may be involved in regulating inflammatory cell adhesion together with MCP-1 and E-selectin in post-menopausal women.