T-cell evaluation in patients with colon cancer: dinitrochlorobenzene skin testing versus plasma levels of sIL-2r and sCD8.
BACKGROUND
Developing reliable methods to test the T-cell system may be important in the treatment of colon cancer patients with 5-fluorouracil/levamisole. In a pilot study we explored whether DNCB (dinitrochlorobenzene) skin testing correlated with plasma levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2r) and soluble CD8 (sCD8) and, secondly, whether the application of DNCB had any influence on the production of sIL-2r and sCD8.


METHODS
In 10 patients with advanced colon cancer and in 10 healthy volunteers, plasma levels of sIL-2r and sCD8 were measured before and 10 days after the application of 2 mg DNCB on the inner side of the forearm.


RESULTS
As expected, colon cancer patients showed a depressed immune system compared to healthy volunteers (DNCB skin test: P = .005, sIL2r [medians 700 vs 295, P = .002], sCD8 [medians 158 vs 90, P = .03], M-W test). The plasma levels for sIL-2r and sCD8 were significantly lower in the skin-positive cases (P = .01 and P = .03, M-W test). However, a large overlap in plasma levels could be observed between the two skin categories. DNCB had no influence on the production of sIL-2r and sCD8; median change skin-negative and skin-positive -10 vs +25, P = .14, respectively; 48 vs 0, P = .32 (M-W test).


CONCLUSIONS
DNCB skin testing and plasma levels of sIL-2r and sCD8 seem to be equally useful in evaluating the T-cell system and can be used simultaneously.
Bleeker
W A
WA
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
de Ley
L
L
Oeseburg
H B
HB
Martens
A
A
Mulder
N H
NH
Hermans
J
J
Plukker
J T
JT
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007978:Levamisole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D007978:Levamisole; D005472:Fluorouracil