Resection of pancreatic cancer normalizes the preoperative increase of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene expression.
BACKGROUND
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) appears to play a role in the cachexia and diabetes seen in patients with cancers. However, increased TNF-alpha is seen in some, but not all, of the cancer patients.


METHODS
The mRNA transcripts of TNF-alpha and its receptors (TNF-RI and TNF-RII) were quantified in blood cells of pancreatic cancer patients, using competitive quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Plasma TNF-alpha was also quantified in these patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Control blood came from healthy subjects.


RESULTS
The TNF-alpha mRNA transcripts (per microgram of total RNA) were increased in pancreatic cancer patients (6.8 +/- 2.1 x 10(6), n = 10), compared to control (1.2 +/- 0.2 x 10(6), n = 9, p < 0.05). After the tumour was removed, the TNF-alpha mRNA transcripts were reduced to a level (2.1 +/- 0.8 x 10(6)) similar to the control. In the cancer patients, no significant changes were found in TNF-RI and TNF-RII gene transcription, compared to the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of the TNF-alpha gene is upregulated in patients with pancreatic cancer and normalized after the pancreatic tumor is removed. These results are consistent with the concept that TNF-alpha is involved in metabolic disorders associated with pancreatic cancer.
Ariapart
Parisa
P
Arvid Wretlinds Laboratory for Metabolic and Nutritional Research, Department of Surgery, Stockholm, Sweden. parisa.ariapart@karo.ki.se
Bergstedt-Lindqvist
Susanne
S
van Harmelen
Vanessa
V
Permert
Johan
J
Wang
Feng
F
Lundkvist
Inger
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha