Effect of human urinary macrophage colony-stimulating factor on the immune functions and the blood cell counts in patients with ovarian carcinoma receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy.
The present study investigated the effect of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on the immune functions and blood cell counts of patients with ovarian carcinoma receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy (CTX). Seventy-five consecutive patients with white blood cell counts less than 3,000/microl after CTX were randomly assigned to receive either M-CSF (human urinary macrophage colony-stimulating factor: hM-CSF, 8x106 U as 7-day intravenous infusions) or no treatment. Immune assays in addition to routine peripheral blood examinations were performed on these patients at various time points. hM-CSF dosing significantly increased monocyte, lymphocyte, granulocyte, and platelet counts that were decreased by CTX. hM-CSF also significantly enhanced lymphokine-activated killer and natural killer activities, which was accompanied by a significantly augmented interleukin (IL)-2 production. Interestingly, IL-2 production was enhanced by hM-CSF dosing in 24 of the 27 patients with a pre-hM-CSF level of IL-2 below 10 U/ml, but such an effect was not observed in nine of the 10 patients having a basal value of 10 U/ml or higher. Thus, hM-CSF is considered to be a cytokine that can augment or regulate immune functions impaired by CTX and increase blood cell counts that are decreased by CTX.
Shimizu
Y
Y
Department of Gynecology, Cancer Institute Hospital, 1-37-1. Kami-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0012, Japan. yshimizu@jfcr.or.jp
Utsugi
K
K
Umezawa
S
S
Shimizu
K
K
Hasumi
K
K
Suzuki
M
M
Takaku
F
F
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015251:Epirubicin; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin