title: Correlation between IL-12 and IL-2 blood levels in the metastatic neoplastic disease: a possible inhibitory feedback system regulating their secretion.
abstract: Despite the great importance of IL-2 and IL-12 in activating the anticancer immune response in humans, cancer-related physiopathology of their secretion needs to be better investigated. IL-2 blood levels have been proven to decrease in the advanced neoplastic disease, whereas preliminary data would suggest an enhanced secretion of IL-12 in metastatic cancer patients. This study was performed to analyze IL-2 levels in relation to those of IL-12 in metastatic solid neoplasms. The study included 40 untreated metastatic cancer patients. Serum levels of both IL-2 and IL-12 were measured by ELISA. Abnormally low blood levels of IL-2 and elevated values of IL-12 were observed in 16/40 and in 18/40 patients, respectively. Moreover, patients with IL-2 deficiency showed significantly higher mean levels of IL-12 than patients with normal values of IL-2. This preliminary result, by showing an increased secretion of IL-12 in advanced cancer patients with IL-2 endogenous deficiency, would suggest the existance of a possible feedback mechanism operating between macrophage release of IL-12 and T lymphocyte secretion of IL-2.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Radioterapia Oncologica, Ospedale S. Gerardo, Monza, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lissoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rovelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meregalli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merlini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D018664:Interleukin-12