title: Free interferon-alpha/beta receptors in the circulation of patients with adenocarcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Julian L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ambrus
authors.forename: Wlodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dembinski
authors.forename: Julian L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ambrus
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: Selina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.forename: Mahmoud N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kulaylat
authors.forename: Abul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Kailash C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chadha
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta; D016899:Interferon-beta