Free interferon-alpha/beta receptors in the circulation of patients with adenocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Many viral and neoplastic diseases are resistant to interferon-alpha/beta (IFN-alpha/beta) therapy or develop resistance during the course of IFN treatment. In patients with viral diseases, the authors identified four IFN inhibitors, of which the most important, most likely is a free IFN receptor of type 1 appearing in the circulation that captures and neutralizes IFN-alpha/beta.


METHODS
Ninety-one cancer patients and 25 healthy individuals were studied. Free circulating IFN receptor-alpha/beta type 1 was studied. The patients were ages 35-75 years. The diagnoses were 24 cases of colon carcinoma, 7 cases of prostate carcinoma, 16 cases of breast carcinoma, 8 cases of ovarian carcinoma, 9 cases of uterine carcinoma, 5 cases of lung carcinoma, 3 cases of astrocytoma, 4 cases of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, 1 case of osteosarcoma, 3 cases of multiple myeloma, 4 cases of Hodgkin disease, 2 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 3 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome, and 2 disseminated tumors of unknown origin.


RESULTS
All patients were found to have increased free IFN receptor-alpha/beta type 1 in the circulation, with the highest levels reported in patients with adenocarcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
High IFN inhibitory activity in patients with cancer may be a significant factor in their increased susceptibility to progressive disease, infectious complications, and resistance to IFN therapy. Ongoing studies are being performed with the objective of overcoming this inhibitory activity.
Ambrus
Julian L
JL
Department of Internal Medicine and Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Medical Sciences-Buffalo General Hospital/Kaleida Health System, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA. jlambrus@netscape.net number
Dembinski
Wlodzimierz
W
Ambrus
Julian L
JL
Sykes
Donald E
DE
Akhter
Selina
S
Kulaylat
Mahmoud N
MN
Islam
Abul
A
Chadha
Kailash C
KC
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000097:blood*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta; D016899:Interferon-beta