SOLUBLE TNF RECEPTORS RELEASE BY POLYMORPHONUCLEAR CELLS AND THE SERUM LEVELS IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT

Soluble cytokine receptors by binding to circulating cytokines play an important role in the regulation of immune response of the host. Meas urement of their release may be helpful in the evaluation of cytokine- mediated reactions in patients with cancer disease. Soluble tumor necr osis factor receptors (sTNF-Rs) in the culture supernatants of PMNs an d in the sera obtained from patients with breast cancer were determine d. The examinations were carried out before and after treatment involv ing surgery and chemotherapy. The highest concentrations of sTNFRp55 a nd sTNFRp75 were observed in the culture supernatants of PMNs from pat ients before any treatment, the lower concentrations of them were foun d in the supernatants of PMNs after treatment. Sera from breast cancer patients presented increased levels of sTNFRp55 and sTNFRp75. Surgery treatment resulted in higher concentrations of sTNFRp55 and sTNFRp75. Decreased sTNF-Rs serum levels were obtained in patients after adjuva nt chemotherapy. Different ability of PMNs to the release of TNF-regul atory proteins-sTNFRs appears to confirm PMNs participation in TNF-med iated reactions of the host during malignant process via sTNF-Rs relea se.