title: Serum levels of interleukin-18 and sICAM-1 in patients affected by breast cancer: preliminary considerations.
abstract: Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a cytokine that plays an important role in the T-cell-helper type 1 response, acts as an angiogenesis and tumor suppressor. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has a potential role in immunoregulation by mediating immune cell infiltration into the tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate IL-18 and soluble (s) ICAM-1 serum levels in breast cancer (BCa) patients with liver (BCaM1 h) or bone (BCaM1 b) metastases compared to BCa patients without metastases (BCaM0) and healthy donors (HDs). Furthermore, since IL-18 enhances ICAM-1 expression, we investigated whether there was a direct correlation between sICAM-1 and IL-18 serum levels. Serum IL-18 and sICAM-1 levels were assayed by immunoenzymatic methods. The serum sICAM-1 levels in the three groups of cancer patients were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of HDs. Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in BCaM1h and BCaM1b patients compared to BCaM0 patients and HDs. sICAM-1 proved to be closely correlated with serum IL-18 levels in HDs, whereas a weaker correlation was found in BCaM1h, BCaM1b and BCaM0 patients. The defective correlation between sICAM-1 and IL-18 found in cancer patients may contribute to our understanding of the immunity upset occurring in cancer. Our data suggest that IL-18, irrespective of its biological activity, could represent a marker for metastatic breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: University of Messina Medical School, University Hospital G. Martino, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Merendino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruello
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bene
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Losi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lonbardo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Purello-Dambrosio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020382:Interleukin-18; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1