H. Lahm et al., SELECTIVE SUPPRESSION OF CYTOKINE SECRETION IN WHOLE-BLOOD CELL-CULTURES OF PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL-CANCER, British Journal of Cancer, 78(8), 1998, pp. 1018-1023
We have investigated the secretion of interferon alpha (IFN-alpha), IF
N-gamma, interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, IL-2 and tumour
necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in whole blood cell cultures (WBCCs)
of colorectal cancer patients upon mitogen stimulation. Whereas the v
alues for IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha remained virtually unchanged in comp
arison with healthy control subjects, WBCCs of colorectal cancer patie
nts secreted significantly lower amounts of IFN-alpha (P < 0.005), IFN
-gamma (P < 0.0001), IL-1 alpha (P < 0.0001) and IL-2 (P< 0.05). This
reduction correlated with the progression of the disease. The total le
ucocyte and monocyte population were almost identical in both groups.
In contrast, a dramatic depletion of lymphocytes was observed in color
ectal cancer patients, which affected both lymphocyte counts (P < 0.00
05) and their distribution (P < 0.0001). Our results suggest a selecti
ve suppression of cytokines in colorectal cancer patients that is rela
ted to tumour burden. Several mechanisms might account for this phenom
enon, one of which might be lymphocyte depletion.