Cytokine network of pulmonary fibrosis with linear differential model and meta-analysis

[Objective] To evaluate cytokine network of pulmonary fibrosis. [Methods] A systematic literature search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library was conducted through December 2007. Then potential regulatory pathway of cytokines was analyzed with a cubic spline intepolation and a linear differential model. The cytokines of silicosis fibrosis tissue were identified by meta-analysis. [Results] The related cytokines participated pulmonary fibrosis were gamma-IFN, IL-10, IL-13, IL-18, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IGF-I, MCP-1, PDGF, TGF-beta 1, TNF-alpha, MMP-2, MMP-9, EGF by meta analysis. The key cytokines of regulated pathway nodes were gamma-IFN, IL-10, IL-13, IL-18, IL-6, IGF-I, PDGF, TGF-beta 1, TNF-alpha. [Conclusion] The cytokines networks of pulmonary fibrosis were composed of the key cytokines, but the other cytokines weren't in the networks due to minor effectiveness induced pulmonary fibrosis or merely inflammatory effectiveness.