Figure 10

The variations between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines could influence the success of the immune response. The most relevant discover, however, for the definition of suitable prognostic biomarkers, is the identification of “double prognostic biomarkers”: they are constituted by couple of pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines that differ between men and women and assure the success of the immune response varying in appropriate relationship each other and following different pathways in each gender. The early evolution of the immune response is influenced by the positive correlation between the production of IFNγ-IL10 and IL6-IL4 in men, and the negative one between IL6-IL10 in women. The evolution of the late response is also influenced by the positive correlation between the production of IFNγ-IL4 in men and IL6-IFNγ in women. More specifically the “double prognostic biomarkers” for men are related by direct proportionality (they both increase or decrease together with the same trend, both positive or negative) between the IFNγ―IL10, IL6―IL4 and IFNγ―IL4 cytokine levels; while they are interconnected in women by an inverse proportionality (an increase of the first correspond to a decrease of the second and vice versa) between the IL6―IL10 cytokine levels, and with a direct proportionality between the IL6―IFNγ cytokines. These variations between the couple of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, specific for each gender, are to be considered “double biomarkers” gender-specific, in the valuation of relationships between ageing and a healthy longevity.