Lead researcher Dr Julie Bower, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles has found that patients who experience fatigue during radiotherapy might be reacting to the activation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine network, a known inflammatory pathway. In a study conducted on 20 people, the researchers discovered that increases in serum markers of cytokine activity, specifically IL-1 receptor antagonist and C-reactive protein, were also linked with fatigue.

A new survey published in the June 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that drugs commonly prescribed for patients suffering from immunological disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease may carry risks of serious infections. Among these drugs are agents that inhibit tumor necrosis factor-á (TNF), a cytokine receptor involved in cellular communication. Although patients using these immune-modulating therapies are known to susceptible to tuberculosis, the new survey indicates that there is probably greater risk for other serious infections, such as histoplasmosis, nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections and Staphylococcus aureus in these patients.

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HumanZyme has developed HumaXpress™ to produce active recombinant human proteins in a human HEK-derivative cell line in serum-free and chemically defined media. Using this technology, the company’s scientists have produced a large number of active and authentic human cytokine and kinase reagents, designed to meet the needs of researchers for preclinical and clinical work. Comparative studies indicate that these recombinant human proteins from human cells are superior to those produced in non-human cell systems.