Assays for human cytokines and their interpretation

Assays for cytokines have become a part of a laboratory repertoire at many institutions. As the knowledge of cytokine biology and their role in human disease accumulates, cytokine assessment is likely to become even more extensive. It is essential that this assessment be performed expertly, preferably in clinical laboratories with established QC and QA programs, and interpreted accurately. The correct interpretation of results is a key to defining and validating clinical usefulness of cytokine assays. More than a single assay may be necessary to confirm the involvement of a cytokine in a disease. Cytokines mediate interactions between various cells and they are also involved in signaling within the cell. The wide choice of cytokine assays available today offers possibilities for evaluating diverse aspects of the cytokine biology. Monitoring strategies for biotherapy trials as well as cytokine profiling in disease are likely to represent major efforts of clinical immunology laboratories in the immediate future.