Serum interleukin-18 and nitric oxide activity in bladder carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Both interleukin-18 and nitric oxide are multifunctional molecules that are involved in the different steps of carcinogenesis.


METHODS
In the present study, we measured serum interleukin-18 and nitric oxide activity in 51 bladder cancer patients with different tumor stage and grade, and in 8 healthy controls. Serum nitrite-nitrate levels were measured as an index of nitric oxide generation.


RESULTS
Serum interleukin-18 levels were significantly higher in bladder cancer patients when compared to the control subjects (p > 0.05). Serum interleukin-18 levels were found to be higher in patients with Ta stage than patients with T1 and T2, T3, T4 stages and in patients with grade 1 tumors than patients with grade 2 and grade 3 tumors, but this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum nitrite + nitrate levels between bladder cancer patients and control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated serum interleukin-18 levels in bladder carcinoma patients may be a result of host defence mechanism against the growth and progression of bladder cancer cells.
Bukan
Neslihan
N
Gazi University Medical School, Department of Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey.
Sözen
Sinan
S
Coskun
Ugur
U
Sancak
Banu
B
Günel
Nazan
N
Bozkirli
Ibrahim
I
Senocak
Cagri
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*
D020382:Interleukin-18; D009569:Nitric Oxide