title: Circulating interleukin 6 during a continuous infusion of tumor necrosis factor and interferon gamma.
abstract: Plasma samples obtained from patients receiving a 24-h continuous infusion of human recombinant (hr)TNF or a combination of two overlapping, 24-h continuous infusions of hrIFN-gamma and hrTNF were analyzed for IL-6 in a sensitive bioassay. A transient appearance of circulating IL-6 was observed with peak levels between 3 and 6 h after the start of the hrTNF infusion. These peak levels correlated quite well with the dose of hrTNF administered (r = 0.86; p less than 0.001). The maximal value observed was 27.5 ng/ml IL-6 in a sample of a patient receiving 545 micrograms/m2 hrTNF. The combination of hrIFN-gamma (200 micrograms/m2) and hrTNF in the infusions resulted in higher IL-6 levels than a comparable dose of hrTNF alone. A maximal value of 23.5 ng/ml IL-6 was observed in a patient receiving 205 micrograms/m2 hrTNF. No IL-6 was found in the plasma of patients during the 12-h infusion with hrIFN-gamma alone, except for two borderline samples.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, State University, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brouckaert
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Spriggs
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Demetri
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kufe
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fiers
mesh_terms: D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012016:Reference Values; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma