Comparison of immunological changes between subcutaneous and intravenous route of administration of IL-2 in cancer patients.
The effects of the route of administration of interleukin 2 (IL-2) on the immunological parameters of patients with various malignancies were investigated. The percent mean values for IL-2 receptor (Tac) positive cells among mononuclear cells in patients receiving IL-2 subcutaneously (5 cases) or intravenously (6 cases) were 7 and 7%, respectively. The corresponding values of post-IL-2 treatment peak were 18 and 16%. Similarly, the values for class II antigen expressing cells were 12 and 16% and 25 and 26%. In no case the difference between the values for the subcutaneous or the intravenous route reached significance. Using the 51Cr release assay, the mean percent killing activity of IL-2-activated mononuclear cells against Daudi tumour target cells for the subcutaneously and the intravenously treated groups were 27 and 14% and the corresponding values for the post-IL-2 treatment peak were 59% (p > 0.05) and 69% (p > 0.05), respectively. The similar values using K562 tumour as target were 17 and 8%, and the corresponding values for post-treatment peak were 55% (p > 0.05) and 23% (p > 0.05). In all cases the cytotoxic values for the post-IL-2 treatment were significantly greater than the pre-IL-2 values. The mean (+/- SD) values for serum beta2-m levels for 6 subcutaneously and 5 intravenously IL-2-treated patients were 6.5 +/- 4.6 and 5.7 +/- 3.4 mg/l (p > 0.05). The corresponding values for post-IL-2 (15 days) were 9.1 +/- 3.4 and 9.9 +/- 5.1 mg/1, respectively. These results demonstrate that there is no significant difference in the immunological parameters in cancer patients receiving IL-2 via subcutaneous or intravenous routes and provide further support for the current trend for clinical trials to concentrate on outpatients subcutaneous administration.
Department of Medical Oncology, The Royal London Hospital, UK.
A M
AM
Nouri
M
M
Lowdell
Z
Z
Entazami
B U
BU
Tezabwala
A
A
Goode
R T
RT
Oliver
D015415:Biomarkers; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000276:immunology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007376:Interleukin-2; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin