Production of polypeptide regulatory factors by human melanoma cells.
Peptide regulatory factors, i.e. cytokines, are released spontaneously or upon induction by melanoma cells in culture. Among these cytokines there are factors such as Il-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 as well as TGF-beta 1 which are basically acting as immunoregulatory molecules. However, their contribution to an augmentation and/or suppression of local or systemic immune response against melanoma cells in situ has not yet been elucidated. On the other hand, some of these molecules, e.g. IL-6 and TGF-beta 1, are growth inhibitors, especially in the early phases of melanoma development. During tumor progression, resistance to the inhibitory effect of these cytokines seems to take place. Whether this resistance is due to an excessive production of these cytokines or a downregulation or blockade of receptors is still controversial. The aberrant expression of bFGF in melanoma cells explains how melanoma cells in vitro and probably also in vivo acquire growth autonomy and the capacity of metastasis formation. The expression of bFGF by human melanoma cells and its activity as autocrine growth regulator imply that agents which interfere with heparin-binding growth factors such as Suramin or pentosan sulfate may be of clinical usefulness. Additionally, these latter agents have been shown to be potent anti-angiogenic factors. Their clinical efficacy, however, has to be established in phase I and II studies.
Micksche
M
M
Dept. Applied & Experimental Oncology, Vienna University Medical School, Austria.
D002455:Cell Division; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D016753:Interleukin-10