ONCOGENE AND CYTOKINE EXPRESSION OF HUMAN COLORECTAL TUMORS RESPONDING TO IMMUNOTHERAPY

Tumor samples from five patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who demonstrated tumor regressions in clinical trials of interleukin (IL) -1 beta, IL-2, and adoptive cellular therapy were analyzed for oncogen e and cytokine mRNA expression. Tumors from eight nonresponding patien ts were also studied. Mutations of the ras protooncogene and nonrespon ding tumors. In contrast, none of the responding tumors expressed tran sforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 mRNA, whereas nonresponding tumors did. The expression of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor -alpha, granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor, macrophage i nflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, macrophage chemotactic protein, and RANTES was variable between responding and nonresponding patients. Although we cannot conclude that a pattern of oncogene and/o r cytokine mRNA expression specifically characterizes sensitive colore ctal cancers, these analyses-the assessment of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in part icular-merit further evaluation as biomarkers prognostic of immunother apy response.