Comparison of interleukin-12 with lung cancer and malignant lymphoma undergoing autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
High-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) has become an important treatment for solid tumors including lung cancer.


METHODS
We measured IL-12 levels in patients with lung cancer undergoing autologous PBSCT in order to elucidate the role of IL-12 in immune response recovery following stem cell transplantation.


RESULTS
Compared to IL-12 levels at 1 week after PBSCT for lung cancer patients, those at 3 weeks were significantly increased ( P<0.01). In contrast, serum IL-12 levels in malignant lymphoma patients did not change significantly. There were no significant differences in levels of other cytokines between 1 week and 3 weeks after transplantation in patients with lung cancer. The frequency of helper/inducer T cells was increased in peripheral blood 1 week after transplantation in both lung cancer and malignant lymphoma patients. There was a significant increase in activated T cell numbers following PBSCT. Furthermore, high levels of other activated T cells persisted in the post-PBSCT period in patients with lung cancer and the number of cytotoxic T cells significantly increased. Natural killer (NK) cell numbers also tended to increase, although that of malignant lymphoma was not significant. A strong correlation was observed between serum IL-12 levels and NK cell numbers and interferon-gamma levels in lung cancer not but in malignant lymphoma patients. The analysis of transfused PBSC showed that the numbers of granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units were similar in lung cancer and malignant lymphoma patients. However, the number of CD34+ cells was significantly higher in lung cancer than in malignant lymphoma patients. All of the CD34+ subpopulations were lower in percentage in patients with lung cancer than in patients with malignant lymphoma. In particular, the CD34+ CD33- subpopulation was significantly lower in percentage in lung cancer patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that PBSC in lung cancer are potent mediators of anticancer activity and that they might play an immunotherapeutic role against autologous malignant cells.
Yoshimura
Chie
C
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono-cho, Moriguchi Osaka 570, Japan.
Nomura
Shosaku
S
Kanazawa
Shigenori
S
Kuwana
Midori
M
Yamaguchi
Kazuyuki
K
Fukuhara
Shirou
S
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone