[Study on the controlling effect of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on plasma cytokine network in patients with thoracic tumor undergoing radiotherapy].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) in radiation pneumonitis and its influence on the levels of plasma transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) at various stages (pre-, mid- and post-radiation) of radiotherapy (RT).


METHODS
Fifty-eight patients enrolled in this study were randomized into two groups, all received conventional radio therapy, but the treatment group was intravenously dripped with SFI additionally, once daily, starting 3 days before radiotherapy to 1 week after the end of it. Levels of TGF-beta, TNF-alpha and IL-10 in blood samples collected and frozen at different time point of RT, before radiotherapy (Pre-RT), after received 40-50 Gy radiation (Mid-RT) and in time of terminating RT (Post-RT), were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And the occurrence of radiation pneumonitis was analyzed according to RTOG acute radiation pneumonitis criteria.


RESULTS
Level of TGF-beta increased in both groups after RT, either Mid- or Post-RT, but in comparing with that at Pre-RT, statistical significant (P < 0.05) only showed in the control group at Post-RT time when it raised to peak, while in inter-group comparing insignificance was shown. Level of TNF-alpha also increased in both groups, but statistical significance only showed in the control groups as compared with that of Pre-RT, accordingly, it was lower in the treatment group than that in the control group at corresponding time points (P < 0.05). Level of IL-10 decreased gradually in the process of RT, as compared with that at Pre-RT, significant difference was shown in both groups at Post-RT but not at Mid-RT, as compared between groups, no significance (P < 0.05) was shown, though the treatment group showed a high tendency. As for the ratio of IL-10/TNF-alpha, significant difference of lowering in the control group after RT was shown as compared with that at Pre-RT (P < 0.05), and also as compared with that in the treatment group at corresponding time point (P < 0.05). The occurrence of radiation pneumonia > or = grade 2 in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (chi2 = 8.7133, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma level of TNF-alpha and ratio of IL-10/ TNF-a could be the practicable indexes for estimating the susceptibility of acute radiation pneumonia; SFI can regulate the network of cytokine, and thus be effective in preventing and treating radiation pneumonitis.
Liu
Li
L
Cancer Center, Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan. liulixiehe2004@163.com
Ding
Qian
Q
Dai
Xiao-Fang
XF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D017564:Radiation Pneumonitis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C521737:shenqi fuzheng; D016753:Interleukin-10