title: Relation between macrophage and T helper-2 lymphocyte functions in human neoplasms: neopterin, interleukin-10 and interleukin-6 blood levels in early or advanced solid tumors.
abstract: At present, it is known that there are two main mechanisms responsible for cancer-related immunosuppression, mediated by macrophages and by TH2 lymphocytes. The relation existing between macrophage- and TH2-mediated immunosuppression still remains to be understood. The present study was performed in an attempt to establish which is the correlation existing in cancer patients between IL-10 and neopterin levels, which reflect TH2- and macrophage-mediated suppressive events, respectively. The study included 40 solid tumor patients and 60 healthy subjects as controls. Serum concentrations of neopterin and IL-10 were measured by the RIA method and by an immuno-enzymetric assay, respectively. Because of its possible production both by TH2 and macrophages, serum levels of IL-6 were also determined. Neopterin, IL-10 IL-6 mean concentrations were significantly higher in cancer patients than in controls. Mean values of both neopterin and IL-6 were significantly higher in metastatic patients than in those with locally limited disease. IL-10 mean levels were also significantly higher in patients with metastatic disease. IL-6 levels were significantly correlated with those of neopterin, whereas no correlation was found between neopterin and IL-10 values. This preliminary study would suggest that macrophage- and TH2-mediated immunosuppression may occur independently in solid tumors, and that it becomes more evident with disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncological Radiotherapy, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lissoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rovelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tisi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brivio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardizzoia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tancini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saudelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cesana
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Viganò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D019798:Neopterin; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin