Hi. Robins et al., Whole body hyperthermia induction of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors: Implications for rheumatoid diseases, J RHEUMATOL, 26(12), 1999, pp. 2513-2516
Objective. To test the hypothesis that 41.8 degrees C x 60 min whole body h
yperthermia (WBH) induces increased serum levels of soluble necrosis factor
receptors (sTNF-R).
Methods. We tested the serum of cancer patients for changes in sTNF-RI and
RII levels, as a function of time, pre and post: (1) WBH alone, (2) WBH and
chemotherapy, i.e,, melphalan (L-PAM), and (3) L-PAM alone.
Results. For sTNF-RI there was a marked increase (over pre-treatment values
, i.e., 86%) in serum levels after WBH alone (n = 3), which peaked 2.5 h po
st-WBH; L-PAM (iv) only resulted in a dip in sTNF-RI seen 40 min postadmini
stration; the combination (WBH + L-PAM), resulted in both the dip at 40 min
and the increase at 2.5 h post-treatment. For sTNF-RII both WBH alone (n =
3) and WBH + L-PAM (n = 2), there was an increase in receptor serum levels
of 25% and 30%, respectively, which peaked 5.5 h post-treatment, and remai
ned elevated at 24 h. L-PAM alone resulted in a dip in levels only at 40 mi
n post-treatment, sTNF-RI and RII levels returned to baseline values within
7 days post-treatment,
Conclusion. 41,8 degrees C WBH results in transient increases in TNF-RI and
RII. These results may have therapeutic implications for the application o
f WBH to TNF mediated disease processes.