Modification of interleukin-15 serum levels in workers exposed to chemotherapeutic agents.
Cytostatic anticancer drugs are known as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic risk factors for health care workers occupationally exposed. It has been demonstrated that the administration of interleukin-15 in rat models of colon carcinoma protects against chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicities. We found that occupational exposure to chemotherapeutic antiblastic agents in vivo modified circulating levels of interleukin-15 in 17 health care workers exposed to antineoplastic drugs in relation to their jobs and in as many healthy age- and sex-matched subjects. Health care workers displayed significantly higher circulating interleukin-15 levels compared to their age-matched controls. If this increase representing an anticancer response remains to be established, these findings strengthen the idea of a therapeutic use of interleukin-15 in the field of cancer.
Spatari
Giovanna
G
Department of Social and Environmental Medicine-Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
Fenga
Concettina
C
Minciullo
Paola Lucia
PL
Di Pasquale
Giuseppe
G
Cacciola
Anna
A
Ventura-Spagnolo
Elvira
E
Gangemi
Sebastiano
S
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008503:Medical Staff; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019409:Interleukin-15