Detection of intracellular interleukin-2 production in peripheral T lymphocytes by flow cytometry in patients with pancreatobiliary malignancies

Background and Aims: To date, it has been reported that cellular immunity i s decreased in patients with cancer and investigations into cytokine produc tion has been insufficient. Therefore, we examined intracellular cytokine p roduction by using flow cytometry in patients with cancer and discussed the reasons for the impairment of their immune system. Methods: Eleven patients with hepatobiliary malignancies (68.5 +/- 11.8 yea rs of age), eight age-matched controls (70.0 +/- 12.0 years of age) and 10 young volunteers (31.9 +/- 3.1 years of age) were used in the present study . Stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from these patients were st ained with fluorescence-labeled anticytokine monoclonal antibodies and anal yzed with a Fluorescence activated cell sorter (FAC)Scan(TM) Results: The percentage of positively stained T cells was calculated and co mpared with controls. Repeated measured ANOVA was used for statistical anal ysis. Interleukin (IL)-2 production was significantly decreased in patients with cancer compared to controls (P = 0.0122), and it may suggest decrease d cellular immune activity of the patients. Simultaneously, spontaneous int racellular IL-4 production was observed in patients and age-matched control s, but levels were significantly increased when compared with the young vol unteers (P = 0.0052, P = 0.031, respectively). Conclusions: It was of interest that spontaneous intracellular IL-4 product ion was detected in elderly subjects. (C) 2000 Blackwell Science Asia Pty L td.