SELECTIVE SUPPRESSION OF CYTOKINE SECRETION IN WHOLE-BLOOD CELL-CULTURES OF PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL-CANCER

Citation
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
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology
Journal title
ISSN journal
00070920
Volume
78
Issue
8
Year of publication
1998
Pages
1018 - 1023
Database
ISI
SICI code
0007-0920(1998)78:8<1018:SSOCSI>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
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.