In this report, we used real-time PCR assay to compare relative gene expression of TNFα and IL-6 in PBMC from CHF patients with various heart diseases (n = 42, EF < 45%, NYHA I to IV) and matched healthy control subjects (n = 42).We also determined the TNFα and IL-6 concentrations of cell culture supernatant of PBMCs with ELISA.
Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a cytokine of the interleukin-6 superfamily which is up-regulated in cardiac diseases, in part via hypoxia-dependent mechanisms.