title: Detection of urinary interleukin-2, interleukin-2 receptor, and tumor necrosis factor levels in patients with superficial bladder tumors after intravesical BCG immunotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of urinary cytokines, after bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy, in order to provide further insight into the mechanisms of action of intravesical BCG therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) levels were determined in 34 patients with superficial bladder tumors after a six-week course of intravesical BCG therapy. The urine samples were obtained at the fifth hour following the sixth course of therapy and the determinations were made by using an (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pre-BCG levels of IL-2, IL-2R, and TNF (32.1 ng/L, 21.1 ng/L, 37.6 micrograms/L, respectively) were increased significantly after therapy (175.2 ng/L, 54.4 ng/L, 625.9 micrograms/L, respectively). These levels remained significantly increased after all patients were stratified according to tumor and patient characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study provide further evidence for the immunologic basis of the mechanism of action of intravesical BCG therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Balbay
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozkardes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barut
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakkaloglu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tasar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Remzi
mesh_terms: D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000652:urine*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha