title: Induction of TNF-alpha in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes undergoing treatment with interleukin-3.
abstract: The study was undertaken to analyse whether the presence or the induction of TNF-alpha, a potent inhibitor of haemopoiesis, might affect the clinical response to treatment with interleukin-3 in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. A total of 15 patients were treated with IL-3. Baseline serum TNF-alpha levels were elevated in MDS patients (14.2 +/- 2.4 pg/ml) compared to healthy controls (9.1 +/- 1.1 pg/ml). During IL-3 therapy TNF-alpha levels remained unchanged in 3/14 patients in whom platelet counts increased, while in non-responders TNF-alpha levels increased 1.9-fold (P < 0.025). These findings indicate that TNF-alpha not only is induced during IL-3 therapy in MDS patients but that this elevation might be associated with a poor platelet response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seipelt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ganser
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Duranceyk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Ottmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hoelzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D010976:Platelet Count; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007377:Interleukin-3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha