These observations suggest that TNF-α -308 polymorphism plays a central role to the TNF release, and it may also be a genetic factor for the susceptibility to MHC-associated autoimmune and infectious AG-014699 order diseases [30]. In this report, we have examined which influence the polymorphisms IL-2 -330 (T/G) and TNF-α -308 (A/G) has on the cytokines IL-2 and TNF-α and whether glutamine can influence or change the cytokines synthesis within the scope of immunonutrition. Blood samples from healthy probands were used. All blood samples were taken from a collective of probands consisting

of both genders. The samples were stored frozen at −20 °C. For the determination of IL-2 and TNF-α concentrations, a 7.5 ml sample of venous blood was collected from each proband in a sodium-heparinate tube. In addition to this, another 10 ml sample of venous blood was collected in a sodium-heparinate

tube for the IL-2 and TNF-α genotyping. Before starting the measurements of concentrations of IL-2 and TNF-α, the samples were adjusted to two different glutamine concentrations and then activated in vitro. The DNA was extracted from the samples, and the IL-2 -330 and TNF-α -308 polymorphisms were determined. In the first step, the BTK inhibitor ic50 whole blood was diluted with glutamine-free RPMI-1640 in a ratio of 1:1. After that, each of the samples was adjusted to two different glutamine concentrations with l-alanyl-l-glutamine, which is broken down by hydrolases in the blood within minutes, so that the free glutamine can be found. Objective criteria were concentrations of 2000 and 250 μm, which is about halving of the physiological glutamine concentration. The adjusted Sitaxentan concentrations were verified by HPLC. The in vitro activation was performed with 10 ng/ml phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and 1 ng/ml ionomycin.

PMA and ionomycin stimulate mainly the lymphocytes. Both agents activate the intracellular, signal-induced cascade and stimulate the production of cytokines. The stimulation was carried out in an incubator at 37 °C for 8 h. Subsequently, the mixture was centrifuged for 5 min at 500 G. The supernatant of the samples was removed and frozen at −80 °C until the determination of the levels of IL-2 and TNF-α with an “enzyme-amplified sensitivity immunoassay (EASIA). We used a standard EASIA kit from Biosource Europe, Belgium. To read out the plate, the microplate reader EL 311 from Behring (Behringwerke, Germany) was used. The software used was Behring ELISA software V2.0.2. The absorption was determined at a wavelength of 450 nm and a reference wavelength of 630 nm. After creating a standard curve, the concentrations were calculated. DNA was extracted from the collected blood samples with the Genomic DNA Purification kit, D-5000, Gentra Systems, Valencia, CA, USA.