IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE CYTOKINES (IL-10, TGF-BETA) GENES EXPRESSION IN HUMAN GASTRIC-CARCINOMA TISSUES

Background: Contribution of immunosuppressive cytokines to tumor progr ession in many types of cancers has been suggested. To characterize th e in vivo expression of immunosuppressive cytokines in gastric cancer, we analyzed the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of transforming growt h factor-beta (TGF-beta) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in human gastric c arcinoma tissues. Methods: Both tumor tissues and nontumor tissues fro m each resected specimen of 29 primary gastric carcinomas were tested for IL-10 and TGF-beta mRNA expression by the reverse transcriptase-po lymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the mRNA expression was correlat ed with various pathological parameters of the tumors. Results: Among the 29 tumors, mRNAs of TGF-beta and IL-10 were detected in 79% and 62 % of tumor samples, respectively. These cytokines were detected only i n 31% for TGF-beta and 17% for IL-10 in nontumor samples. Both mRNAs w ere frequently expressed in the poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and the tumor tissues with high degree of stage or lymphnode metastasi s. Conclusions: Local expression of immunosuppressive cytokines may co ntribute to the progression of primary gastric carcinomas possibly thr ough immunosuppression. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.