Apoptosis in alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) intratumoral chemotherapy for cystic craniopharyngiomas.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to verify whether intracystic injections of alpha-Interferon (IFN-alpha) in cystic craniopharyngiomas were able to reduce the tumor by activating the Fas apoptotic pathway.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with cystic craniopharyngiomas treated at the Pediatric Oncology Institute (IOP/GRAACC) of Federal University of São Paulo were submitted to intracystic chemotherapy with IFN-alpha. The tumor sizes of all patients were monitored and the apoptotic factor soluble FasL (sFasL) concentration was determined by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in tumor fluid samples from eight patients.


RESULTS
There was a complete reduction in 11 patients, a partial response in seven, and a minor response in three patients. The concentration of sFasL was increased in all the eight patients examined concomitantly with the tumor size reduction.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrated that the IFN-alpha was able to induce Fas-mediated apoptosis together with a reduction in the tumor size; such an observation may suggest the importance to investigate still unexplored mechanisms to be exploited in craniopharyngioma therapy.
Ierardi
D F
DF
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Pediatric Oncology Institute, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 743, 8 andar, 04023-062, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. dfierardi@yahoo.com.br
Fernandes
M J S
MJ
Silva
I R
IR
Thomazini-Gouveia
J
J
Silva
N S
NS
Dastoli
P
P
Toledo
S R C
SR
Cavalheiro
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed
D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016898:Interferon-alpha