title: Increased circulating transforming growth factor beta1 in a patient with giant hepatic hemangioma: possible contribution to an impaired immune function.
abstract: A patient, having a huge hepatic hemangioma, presented with decreases in the number of peripheral lymphocytes and in serum concentrations of gamma-globulin and immunoglobulin (Ig) G, and a negative purified protein derivatives skin test, indicating that the patient's immunity was impaired. The plasma concentration of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), a potent immunosuppressor, in the patient was markedly elevated (113 ng/mL, normal < 5). After the surgical removal of the tumor, the plasma TGF-beta1 concentration decreased, and the patient's immunity was restored to normal. Northern blot analysis showed an overexpression of the TGF-beta1 gene in the hemangioma tissue, while normal control liver tissue expressed undetectable levels of TGF-beta1 messenger RNA. These results suggest that the elevated levels of TGF-beta1 in the plasma were derived from the giant hemangioma tissue and may have contributed to the impaired immune function in the patient.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsushima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiso
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takami
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monnden
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuzawa
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta