title: Treatment of cancer patients with endotoxin induces release of endogenous cytokines.
abstract: This study sought to determine whether endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were detectable in sera of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated cancer patients. Twenty patients received an intravenous bolus of purified LPS from Salmonella abortus-equi (4.0 ng/kg). Patients were pretreated with ibuprofen (1,600 mg) to prevent constitutional side effects like fever and chills. Serum TNF-alpha levels increased from less than 0.01 ng/ml before treatment up to maximal levels of 21 ng/ml, peaking 1.5 h after LPS injection. Similarly, serum IL-6 concentrations increased from less than 0.01 to 11 ng/ml, but peak levels were obtained 30 min later than TNF-alpha. Circulating G-CSF appeared still later than TNF-alpha and IL-6. It was detectable within 3 h and peaked 6 h after LPS injection. Parallel to the release of the above cytokines a marked increase in granulocyte counts was observed. In all patients administration of LPS led to an acute-phase response as measured by C-reactive protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, FRG.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mackensen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galanos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006098:Granulocytes; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004731:Endotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein