Abstract:
Recently, it has been suggested that cancer-related immunosuppression may depend at least in part on a Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance, consisting of a decreased Th1-like, and increased type-2 cytokine secretion (Clerici M, J Natl Cancer Inst; 88:461 1996). In particular, IL-2, one of the main Th1-type cytokines, is generally reduced in both solid and hematological malignancies, including HD. At present, very few preliminary data exist about IL-12, another cytokine stimulating Th1-like responses. In order to better define IL-12 secretion in HD, serum levels were evaluated in 85 untreated HD patients (pts) and were correlated to those of TNF-a. Pts characteristics were M/F: 48/37, median age: 27, range 16-61, A/B symptoms: 39/46, stage I+II/III+IV: 61/24. IL-12 serum levels were measured by an enzyme immunoassay, and normal values (95% confidence limits) were ranging from 10 to 89 pg/ml. Abnormally low levels of IL-12 were observed only in 4/85 (5%) pts. Normal values were detected in 44 pts (52%), whereas the remaining 37 pts (43%) showed abnormally high levels of IL-12. No significant differences in IL-12 mean levels (+/- SE) were observed in relation to pts characteristics: A vs B: 99+/-11 vs 85+/-8 pg/ml; stage I-II vs III-IV: 83+/-6 vs 117+/-18 pg/ml. Finally, pts with high levels of IL-12 showed higher concentrations of TNF-a than those with normal or low IL-12 values, even though the difference did not reach statistical significance (35+/-14 vs 14+/-3 pg/ml). The results of this study suggest that a reduced IL-12 secretion is not a common phenomenon in HD, which in contrast tends to be increased. The association between high levels of IL-12 and increased values of TNF-a, mainly produced by macrophages, suggest a macrophagic source of the increased IL-12 secretion. Due to its capacity of stimulating Th1-type cytokine production, the enhanced IL-12 secretion could be explained by a biological attempt to counteract HD-related cellular immunity deficiency. (C) American Society of Clinical Oncology 1997
Keywords: *Hodgkin Disease/BLOOD *Interleukin-12/SECRETION 971230
M97C1598
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