title: Glucocorticoid blockade does not abrogate tumor-induced cachexia.
abstract: Cancer-induced cachexia is a common manifestation observed in patients with malignancies. Elevated levels of circulating glucocorticoids and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been observed in cancer patients with cachexia and are implicated as major mediators in this process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of circulating glucocorticoid levels as primary mediators in cancer-induced cachexia. We evaluated whether inhibition of glucocorticoids with the receptor antagonist RU-486 could abrogate the detrimental wasting of muscle and adipose tissues seen in a well-characterized murine tumor-induced cachexia model. Mice (12/group) were randomized to control, tumor-bearing, control + vehicle, or tumor-bearing + glucocorticoid receptor antagonist groups. Circulating serum glucocorticoid and IL-6 levels were measured in addition to multiple body composition parameters, such as total body weight, lean body mass, and adipose content. The results of this study indicate a significant physiological alteration in the tumor-bearing host that causes severe and detrimental changes in body composition parameters. Regression analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between increased circulating glucocorticoid levels and alterations in body composition parameters. These observed defects were not abrogated with the administration of a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist. We therefore conclude that the untoward effects of tumor-induced cachexia are not mediated primarily by the peripheral effects of high circulating glucocorticoid levels but may involve a complex interaction with IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Campus, NY, USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rivadeneira
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Naama
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: McCarter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Evoy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mackrell
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Daly
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015735:Mifepristone