CytoDx - Cytokine Response Profile
A Comprehensive Cytokine Panel for Immune Function and Inflammation
NEW UPDATE! – NOW EVALUATES 40 KEY CYTOKINES
The updated CytoDx® Cytokine Response Profile is an advanced cytokine panel and immune function test that evaluates 40 key cytokines involved in inflammatory signaling, tissue repair, host defense, and immune regulation.
Understanding cytokine signaling is essential when evaluating chronic and complex clinical presentations. CytoDx provides practitioners with clinically relevant insight into cytokine activity and immune response patterns that may contribute to inflammatory conditions, altered immune tolerance, autoimmune activity, and multisystem symptoms.
Documents
Explore our CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile educational resources to discover how cytokine testing may help characterize inflammatory pathways, immune signaling, and immune response patterns.
Clinical Information
What Is a Cytokine?
Cytokines are signaling proteins that regulate communication between immune cells and coordinate inflammatory and immune responses throughout the body. They play essential roles in host defense, tissue repair, and immune system regulation.
When cytokine activity becomes dysregulated, immune tolerance and inflammatory balance may be disrupted, potentially contributing to autoimmune activity, chronic inflammatory conditions, allergic responses, and multisystem symptom presentations.
What Does the CytoDx Cytokine Panel Evaluate?
Cytokines help regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Measuring cytokine activity may provide clinically relevant insight into inflammatory pathways, immune signaling, and T-cell response patterns.
The CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile evaluates cytokines associated with:
- Inflammatory signaling
- Th1, Th2, and Th17 immune responses
- Treg immune tolerance
- Autoimmune and chronic inflammatory pathways
- Allergic and mucosal immune responses
- Innate and adaptive immune coordination
Clinical Applications of Cytokine Assessment
Evaluating cytokine activity may provide practitioners with a deeper understanding of inflammatory and immune response patterns in patients with chronic or complex presentations.
By assessing key pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and regulatory cytokines, CytoDx may help practitioners:
- Identify immune response patterns
- Evaluate Th1, Th2, and Th17 pathway activity
- Contextualize inflammatory signaling in multisystem conditions
- Support more personalized intervention strategies
- Monitor cytokine activity and treatment response over time
Interpreted alongside clinical history, symptoms, and other laboratory findings, CytoDx provides clinically relevant insight into cytokine activity and inflammatory pathway involvement.
Cytokine Categories Evaluated by CytoDx
The CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile evaluates cytokines associated with:
Acute Inflammation
Associated with early inflammatory signaling, innate immune activation, and acute tissue response.
- GM-CSF
- IL-1α
- IL-1β
- IL-6
- TNF-α
Adaptive Immune Activity
Th1
Associated with viral and bacterial defense, macrophage activation, and cellular immune responses.
- IFN-γ
- IL-2
- IL-15
- TNF-β
- IL-12p70
- IL-12/23p40 (Th1/Th17)
Th17
Associated with mucosal and gut barrier defense, gut and skin immune responses.
- IL-17A
- IL-12/23p40 (Th1/Th17)
Th2
Associated with allergic responses, IgE signaling, eosinophil activation, and anti-parasitic immune activity.
- IL-4
- IL-5
- IL-13
Other
Chemoattractant associated with T cell recruitment.
- IL-7
Anti-Inflammatory / Regulatory / Immune Tolerance
Associated with immune tolerance, immune modulation, and resolution of inflammatory activity.
- IL-10
- IL-16
Chemokines
Involved in chemokine signaling and immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation and tissue activity.
- Eotaxin (CCL11)
- Eotaxin-3 (CCL26)
- IL-8 (CXCL8)
- IP-10 (CXCL10)
- MCP (CCL2)
- MCP-4 (CCL13)
- MDC (CCL22)
- MIP-1α (CCL3)
- MIP-1β (CCL4)
- TARC (CCL17)
- RANTES (CCL5)
Angiogenesis
Associated with vascular remodeling, tissue repair, and angiogenic signaling.
- bFGF
- sFLT-1
- PIGF
- Tie-2
- VEGF-A
- VEGF-C
- VEGF-D
Vascular Injury
Associated with vascular inflammation, endothelial activation, and tissue injury responses.
- CRP
- sICAM-1
- SAA
- sVCAM-1
Which Patients May Benefit from Cytokine Testing?
Patients with chronic inflammatory symptoms, autoimmune conditions, altered immune tolerance, or complex multisystem presentations may benefit from cytokine testing and immune function assessment.
The expanded CytoDx panel may provide additional clinical insight for patients requiring monitoring while receiving biologic therapies, as well as those with:
- Autoimmune conditions
- Chronic inflammatory symptoms
- Persistent fatigue
- Allergic or mast cell-related symptoms
- Chronic infections
- Digestive complaints
- Skin conditions
- Complex multisystem presentations
Insights from the CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile
Results from the CytoDx report provide insight into:
- Cytokine response patterns
- Potential inflammatory pathway involvement
- Th1, Th2, and Th17 pathway activity
- The relationship between cytokine signaling and patient symptoms
Interpreted alongside clinical history and other laboratory findings, cytokine assessment may support a more comprehensive understanding of immune response patterns and inflammatory activity.
Gut-Immune Connection
It is now widely recognized that GI health — particularly the health of the microbiome — plays a critical role in regulating immune function and has been shown to influence circulating cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-17. It is recommended to pair CytoDx with a GI‑MAP stool test for best clinical assessment and to provide actionable direction.
Optimize Clinical Insight with the CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile
CytoDx Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Should the Cytokine Response Profile Specimen Be Stored and Returned to the Laboratory?
Serum cytokines are small molecules that can rapidly degrade at room temperature. To preserve specimen integrity, samples must be immediately frozen after collection (freeze overnight, 8-hour minimum) and received frozen by the laboratory.
Specimens must be returned on dry ice according to the kit instructions.
What is a cytokine panel?
A cytokine panel is a laboratory assessment that measures signaling proteins involved in immune function and inflammatory responses. Cytokines regulate communication between immune cells and help coordinate inflammatory signaling and cellular immune activity.
Why are cytokines important?
Cytokines play central roles in host defense, tissue repair, inflammatory signaling, and immune coordination. Dysregulated cytokine activity may contribute to autoimmune conditions, allergic responses, chronic inflammatory symptoms, and altered immune tolerance.
Who may benefit from cytokine testing?
Patients with chronic inflammatory symptoms, autoimmune conditions, chronic infections, allergic symptoms, or complex multisystem presentations may benefit from cytokine testing and immune function assessment.
What does the CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile evaluate?
The CytoDx Cytokine Response Profile evaluates multiple pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and regulatory cytokines involved in inflammatory signaling, immune pathway activity, and immune response coordination.
Can cytokine testing help evaluate immune balance?
Yes. Cytokine assessment may provide insight into cytokine response patterns and Th1, Th2, and Th17 pathway activity.
How should cytokine panel results be interpreted?
Cytokine panel results should always be interpreted within the context of the patient’s clinical presentation, history, symptoms, and other laboratory findings by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
Test Ordering Options
Test Name: CytoDx®
Methodology: Serum ELISA
Sample Type: Blood serum
Serum cytokines are small molecules that can rapidly degrade at room temperature. Therefore, it is crucial that samples be immediately frozen after collection (freeze overnight, 8-hour minimum) and received frozen upon arrival at the laboratory.
We require shipping these samples on dry ice for best results.
If you already have an account with us, you may order through our online Practitioner Portal accessible at the top of this page.
Complementary Panels for Complex Cases
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GI-MAP – The GI-MAP was designed to detect microbes that may be disturbing normal microbial balance or contributing to illness as well as indicators of digestion, absorption, inflammation, and immune function.
Services provided are for laboratory testing only. No charge is incurred for ordering collection kits.