title: A short course of oral aspirin increases IL-18-induced interferon-gamma production in whole blood cultures.
abstract: The effect of aspirin on whole blood cytokine production was studied in six healthy volunteers. Four days after cessation of a 3-day regimen of 650 mg of oral aspirin, there was a 70% increase in interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production, stimulated by a combination of interleukin-18 (IL-18) plus lipopolysaccharide (p < 0.05). At this time, there was a 4-fold increase in the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) compared to pre-aspirin levels (p < 0.03). TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma production returned to pre-aspirin levels one month after the discontinuation of aspirin. Short-term aspirin treatment induces a significant increase in the production of these cytokines, probably through inhibition of prostaglandins. These data suggest a novel pathway through which long aspirin use reduces the risk of colon cancer, and may explain the effects of aspirin in inflammatory bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, B168, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Ave., Denver, CO 80262, USA.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Netea
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Puren
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dinarello
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001241:Aspirin