title: Interleukin-6 induction by a muramyltripeptide derivative in cancer patients.
abstract: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was measured in sera from 26 patients with advanced malignancies before and after an I.V. infusion of muramyltripeptide-phosphatidylethanolamine (MPT-PE) in liposomes. Significantly elevated IL-6 could be measured 2 and 4 h after medium (0.25-0.5 mg/m2) and high (1.0-6.0 mg/m2) doses of the drug accompanied by a rise in body temperature. The biological activity of IL-6 in sera could be inhibited in vitro by monoclonal antibodies against IL-6. Other biological effects of MTP-PE in vivo such as leukocytosis and elevated acute phase reactants are discussed in view of increased IL-6 levels. It is concluded that MTP-PE in liposomes generates increased amounts of IL-6 measurable in serum several hours after administration. IL-6 could therefore play an important role in the biological response modification induced by the drug.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development and Medical Statistics, CIBA-GEIGY Limited, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Chaudri
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001831:Body Temperature; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008081:Liposomes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008081:Liposomes; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; C037144:mifamurtide; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine