Seventeen patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus under clinical management weresubmitted to surgery and blood samples were collected before and six months aftersurgery for evaluation of the serum profile of proinflammatory (IFN-γ, TNF-α,IL-17A) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10). The gene discussed is IL4; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.