title: Acute effects of single doses of recombinant interferon-gamma on blood cell counts and lymphocyte subsets in patients with advanced renal cell cancer.
abstract: The object of this study was to investigate the effects of different single doses of recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) on white blood cell counts, differential blood counts, and the relative composition of T-cell subsets in the peripheral blood of cancer patients. Sixteen patients suffering from metastasizing renal cell carcinoma received 10, 100, or 500 micrograms of rIFN-gamma three times at weekly intervals. After a therapy-free interval of 2 weeks, the next dose level was applied. The order of dose levels was assigned randomly to each patient. White blood cells, differential blood counts, and the number of Leu1, Leu3, Leu2a, Leu7, and HLA DR+ cells were measured immediately before and at 4, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 168 h after the administration of single doses of rIFN-gamma. Results indicated that white blood cells were transiently removed from the blood circulation after administration of IFN-gamma. Monocytes, HLA DR+ cells, and Leu7+ cells were reduced to below 50% of pretreatment values 4 h after application of the cytokine. CD8+ cells and granulocyte counts declined to approximately 70% of pretreatment values 24 h after IFN therapy. The preferential reduction of CD8+ lymphocytes resulted in a temporary increase of the T4/T8 ratio in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunobiology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Aulitzky
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aulitzky
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gastl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lanske
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reitter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tilg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma