Neopterin and alpha-interferon in patients affected by Kaposi's sarcoma from Africa.
The presence of circulating alpha-interferon and neopterin was investigated in sera of 47 patients affected by African Kaposi's sarcoma, both HIV-seropositive (13 patients) and HIV-seronegative (34 patients). For comparison, analyses were also performed in 20 HIV-seropositive symptomatic African subjects as well as in 20 African and 20 Italian healthy individuals. Alpha-interferon and neopterin levels appeared significantly higher in comparison with healthy control groups (P less than 0.001) but not with HIV-seropositve African individuals without Kaposi's sarcoma. Moreover, alpha-interferon and neopterin levels were significantly higher in progressive Kaposi's sarcoma (27 patients) than in regressive Kaposi's sarcoma (20 patients) (P less than 0.001). A significant correlation between alpha-interferon and neopterin was observed (r = 0.57; P less than 0.01). Furthermore, alpha-interferon levels of HIV-seropositive Kaposi's sarcoma patients resulted significantly higher in comparison with the seronegative ones (P less than 0.05). It is concluded that alpha-interferon and neopterin may be reliable prognostic markers in Kaposi's sarcoma patients.
Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute Fondaz. Sen. G. Pascale, Naples, Italy.
A
A
Marfella
V
V
Ruocco
A
A
Capobianco
M
M
Perna
G
G
Santelli
G
G
Frigione
S K
SK
Kyalwazi
R D
RD
Mugerwa
D
D
Serwadda
E
E
Beth-Giraldo
D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007370:Interferon Type I; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin