Different basal expression of type T1 and T2 cytokines in peripheral lymphocytes of patients with adenocarcinomas and benign hyperplasia of the prostate.
BACKGROUND
It has been proposed that a reduced immunological competence and a dysregulation in the T1/T2 balance may be implicated in the development of cancer. In order to study the immunological situation in vivo, we compared the mRNA expression of the T1 cytokine IFN-gamma and the T2 cytokine IL-10 in freshly isolated, not in vitro stimulated, peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with localized prostate carcinomas (PCa) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated by gradient centrifugation. CD4(+)- and CD8(+)-lymphocytes were selected with magnetic beads against these determinants. In these lymphocyte preparations, mRNA expression of IL-10 and IFN-gamma was determined by using a semiquantitative RT-PCR, standardized to the beta-actin expression.


RESULTS
In the PBMC from 35 patients with localized PCa a significantly lower expression of IFN-gamma and IL-10 was found, compared to 28 patients with BPH. Cytokine expression also was lower in the isolated CD4(+)- and CD8(+)-lymphocytes of the carcinoma patients. However, the difference was statistically significant only for IL-10.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data reflect a reduced basal cytokine expression in peripheral lymphocytes of patients with localized PCa compared to BPH. Since the T2 response was more strongly reduced than T1, there seems to be a decreased immune activation, but a relative T1 dominant cytokine pattern in the cancer patients.
Elsässer-Beile
Ursula
U
Department of Urology, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier Str. 8, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany. elsu@klinikum.uni-freiburg.de
Gierschner
Dorothee
D
Jantscheff
Peter
P
Schultze-Seemann
Wolfgang
W
Katzenwadel
Arndt
A
Wetterauer
Ulrich
U
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma