Treatment with IFN-gamma increases serum levels of Th1 chemokines and decreases those of Th2 chemokines in patients with mycosis fungoides.
BACKGROUND
Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is used for the treatment of mycosis fungoides, which is a Th2 neoplasm with elevation of serum Th2 chemokines. Although therapeutic effectiveness of IFN-gamma is caused at least partly by augmented activity of cytotoxic T cells against the tumor cells, its modulation on chemokine production remains unknown.


OBJECTIVE
Alterations in the serum levels of Th1 chemokines, IP-10 and MIG, and Th2 chemokines, TARC and MDC, were examined in mycosis fungoides patients treated with recombinant IFN-gamma.


METHODS
Four patients with mycosis fungoides received intravenous injections of IFN-gamma for 14 or 28 days. On day 0, 7, 14, and 28, sera were obtained from the patients, and the concentrations of TARC, MDC, IP-10, and MIG were measured by ELISA, along with the percentages of peripheral blood Th1 and Th2 cells.


RESULTS
Whereas the levels of TARC and MDC were decreased by IFN-gamma treatment, those of IP-10 and MIG were increased. In particular, the increment of MIG was remarkable. No substantial change of Th1 or Th2 cell number was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
In IFN-gamma treatment as well as other therapies, TARC may serve as a marker for the disease activity of mycosis fungoides. The dramatic elevation of MIG by IFN-gamma suggests the strong dependency of MIG production on IFN-gamma and the participation of MIG in skin-infiltration of tumoricidal cytotoxic T cells.
Hino
Ryosuke
R
Department of Dermatology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Shimauchi
Takatoshi
T
Tokura
Yoshiki
Y
D000368:Aged; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D054422:Chemokine CCL22; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D054370:Chemokine CXCL9; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000097:blood; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
C106230:CCL17 protein, human; C515482:CCL22 protein, human; C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; C080810:CXCL9 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D054422:Chemokine CCL22; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D054370:Chemokine CXCL9; D018925:Chemokines; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma