Cytokine production by peripheral lymphocytes in melanoma.
BACKGROUND
The differentiation of T cells towards a T helper 1 (Th1) or Th2 phenotype based on their profile of cytokine production, is of great relevance in the regulation of immune responses. We have determined by flow cytometry, the expression of selected Th1 and Th2 cytokines by activated T cells in whole blood samples (WB) from normal donors and from patients with different clinical stages of melanoma in different clinical stages.


METHODS
WB samples from 6 normal donors and 19 patients with melanoma were activated over 4 hours with PMA + ionomycin in presence or absence of a protein secretion inhibitor. Following surface staining (CD3-Cy5+CD8-FITC), fixation and permeabilization, cells were stained with PE-labelled antibodies against Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10).


RESULTS
The most relevant results were related to IFN-gamma and IL-10 production. The percentage of IFN-gamma producer cells was significantly lower in melanoma patients, independent of the stage, than in controls. IL-10 production was significantly increased in melanoma patients with respect to normal donors.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data support the notion that the pattern of cytokines produced by lymphocytes from melanoma patients may help to explain the impairment in their T cell immune response. More extensive studies regarding the pattern of cytokines, not only in peripheral blood, but also in tumour tissue and sentinel lymph nodes, are needed to confirm these data.
Botella-Estrada
Rafael
R
Department of Dermatology, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Valencia.
Escudero
Marta
M
O'Connor
José E
JE
Nagore
Eduardo
E
Fenollosa
Bernardo
B
Sanmartín
Onofre
O
Requena
Celia
C
Guillén
Carlos
C
D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D015759:Ionomycin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate