title: Pretreatment natural killer antigen density correlates to clinical response in tumor patients receiving long-term subcutaneous recombinant interleukin-2 and recombinant interferon-alpha.
abstract: We evaluated density of the natural killer (NK) cell-associated CD56 antigen on circulating NK cells of 47 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Patients received a combination of low-dose subcutaneous recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) and recombinant interferon-alpha (rIFN-alpha) as home therapy. Antigen density of CD56 before therapy was 2.2-fold higher (P < 0.005) in patients who subsequently achieved a complete or partial remission when compared with patients who presented with progressive disease on therapy. After a 6-week treatment cycle, NK cells of treatment responders expressed significantly (2.1-fold; P < 0.005) more CD56 antigens than NK cells in nonresponding patients. These results suggested a potential role of both pre- and posttreatment NK antigen density levels as a biologic correlate to treatment response.
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002452:Cell Count; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins