title: Lymphocyte subpopulations and interleukin levels in high-risk melanoma patients treated with high-dose interferon A-2B.
abstract: Immunologic effects of high-dose interferon are still unclear. We have evaluated changes in blood lymphocyte subpopulations, immunoglobulins, and multiple interleukin in patients with high-risk cutaneous melanoma on adjuvant treatment with high-dose interferon and compared pretreatment values with normal controls. Samples were obtained before treatment, 1 month after induction treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months of maintenance treatment from 24 patients with high-risk melanoma. Lymphocyte subpopulations were measured by flow cytometry and interleukin and immunoglobulin levels by radioimmunoassay. A statistically significant reduction in B-lymphocytes (p < 0.001), natural killer (NK) cells (p = 0.0004), and monocytes (p = 0.04), and an elevation in CD4/CD8 ratio (p < 0.0001) was observed after 1 month of intravenous interferon. No changes were seen in CD3, CD4, and CD8 lymphocytes. No changes in interleukin (IL)-2, -4, or -5 were observed during 1 year of treatment. IL-2 pretreatment levels were significantly lower than healthy blood donors (p = 0.001), and IL-5 pretreatment levels were significantly higher (p = 0.0056). IL-10 levels significantly dropped after 6 months of treatment (p = 0.01). Immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) remained within normal ranges. Three patients had elevated pretreatment levels of IgE. There is a time- and dose-dependent impact of interferon on numbers of circulating B lymphocytes, NK cells, monocytes, and CD4/CD8 ratio. Defects in cellular and humoral immunity are suggested by the low IL-2 and high IL-5 levels, measured in patients with melanoma as compared with healthy controls.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Athens University, Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gogas
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paterakis
authors.forename: Konstantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frangia
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bafaloukos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pectasides
authors.forename: Haralambos P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kalofonos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loukopoulos
authors.forename: Cathrin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stavropoulou-Giokas
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ioannovich
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mihm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4