Increased IL-6 and IL-8 levels in cervicovaginal secretions of patients with cervical cancer

Objective. Conflicting data exist on IL-6 production by human papillomaviru s (HPV) immortalized cell lines and several cervical carcinoma cell lines. However, no information has been reported on the levels of cytokines in cer vicovaginal washings in relation to cervical neoplasia, The aim of this stu dy was to investigate whether local production of IL-6 could be found and w hether the level of this cytokine was related to the severity of cervical n eoplasia. IL-8 was measured to obtain additional information on an inflamma tory cytokine with possible epithelial origin. Methods, Cervicovaginal washings and sera were obtained from 35 patients wi th invasive cervical cancer, 62 patients with cervical intraepithelial neop lasia (CIN), and 25 control subjects. IL-6 and IL-8 levels were determined by ELISA, HPV DNA in cervical smears was detected by a HPV-16-specific PCR method and additionally by CPI/IIG PCR, Histological analysis of the inflam matory infiltrate was performed on hematoxylin-eosin-stained tissue section s. Results. In the patients with cervical cancer, those with GIN, and the cont rols, the median IL-6 concentration in cervicovaginal washings was 171 pg/m l (interquartile range: 54-780), 22 pg/ml (<2-73), and < 2 pg/ml (<2-<2), r espectively. For IL-8, the levels were 2756 pg/ml (1651-7107), 489 pg/ml (2 48-1158), and 631 pg/ml (346-897), respectively. In most subjects the local levels were much higher than in serum. Local IL-6 and IL-8 levels were sig nificantly higher in patients with cervical carcinoma compared with CIN pat ients and controls. Likewise, local IL-6 levels were increased in patients with CIN compared with controls. No relation was found between cytokine lev els and CIN grade or between cytokine levels and the inflammatory infiltrat e scored by histological analysis, Conclusions. There is local production of IL-6 and IL-8 in cervicovaginal s ecretions, and the production of IL-6 was related to the severity of cervic al neoplasia. (C) 1999 Academic Press.