Liver damage in patients with colony-stimulating factor-producing tumors.
OBJECTIVE
We have demonstrated that colony-stimulating factor (CSF)-producing tumor cell lines produce not only CSF but also interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Clinically, we have observed that patients bearing such tumors present with liver dysfunction and fever in addition to marked leukocytosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the liver damage was specifically related to CSF-producing tumors.


METHODS
Clinicopathologic examinations were performed in six autopsied patients with CSF-producing tumors. We also transplanted two tumor cell lines (KHC287 and CHU-2), which produce granulocyte (G)-CSF, IL-1, and IL-6, to nude mice.


RESULTS
Of the six patients, five had G-CSF- and one had granulocyte/macrophage (GM)-CSF-producing tumors. IL-1 and IL-6 concentrations in plasma or culture supernatant were elevated in these patients. Biochemical examinations revealed high serum enzyme levels of the biliary system in contrast to normal or slight increases in transaminase levels in all patients studied. Serum direct bilirubin was elevated in five of the six patients. Three common pathologic changes of the liver were found: (1) focal necrosis associated with neutrophil infiltration in the centrilobular zones, (2) fibrous change and enlargement of the portal area associated with neutrophil infiltration, and (3) intrahepatic cholestasis. The same pathologic changes, except for cholestasis, were reproduced in the liver of mice transplanted with KHC287 or CHU-2.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that patients with CSF-producing tumors have characteristic liver damage, and suggest a new paraneoplastic syndrome of leukocytosis and liver damage.
Suzuki
A
A
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Takahashi
T
T
Okuno
Y
Y
Seko
S
S
Fukuda
Y
Y
Nakamura
K
K
Fukumoto
M
M
Konaka
Y
Y
Imura
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase / Q000097:blood; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase; D001663:Bilirubin