title: Administration of low-dose interleukin-2 plus G-CSF/EPO early after autologous PBSC transplantation: effects on immune recovery and NK activity in a prospective study in women with breast and ovarian cancer.
abstract: This study evaluated the effects of low-dose IL-2 plus G-CSF/EPO on post-PBSC transplantation (PBSCT) immune-hematopoietic reconstitution and NK activity in patients with breast (BrCa) and ovarian cancer (OvCa). To this end, two consecutive series of patients were prospectively assigned to distinct post-PBSCT cytokine regimens (from day +1 to day +12) which consisted of G-CSF (5 microg/kg/day) plus EPO (150 IU/kg/every other day) in 17 patients (13 BrCa and 4 OvCa) or G-CSF/EPO plus IL-2 (2 x 10(5) IU/m(2)/day) in 15 patients (10 BrCa and 5 OvCa). Hematopoietic recovery and post-transplantation clinical courses were comparable in G-CSF/EPO- and in G-CSF/EPO plus IL-2-treated patients, without significant side-effects attributable to IL-2 administration. In the early and late post-transplant period a significantly higher PMN count was observed in G-CSF/EPO plus IL-2-treated patients (P = 0.034 and P = 0.040 on day +20 and +100, respectively). No significant differences were found between the two groups of patients in the kinetics of most lymphocyte subsets except naive CD45RA(+) T cells which had a delayed recovery in G-CSF/EPO plus IL-2 patients (P = 0.021 on day +100). No significant difference was observed between NK activity in the two different groups, albeit a significantly higher NK count was observed in G-CSF/EPO plus IL-2 series on day +20 (P = 0.020). These results demonstrate that low-dose IL-2 can be safely administered in combination with G-CSF/EPO early after PBSCT and that it exerts favorable effects on post-PBSCT myeloid reconstitution, but not on immune recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perillo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pierelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rutella
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cortesi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fattorossi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferraù
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lalle
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D007376:Interleukin-2; D004921:Erythropoietin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor