title: Strong inflammatory response and Th1-polarization profile in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia without apparent infection.
abstract: Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) often present fever. Febrile states are usually associated with infectious processes that generate an inflammatory response involving various molecules, including cytokines. However, an inflammatory response may also occur in the absence of infection. We hypothesized that the levels of inflammatory cytokines are increased in children with ALL without apparent infection. The serum levels of 13 cytokines in 99 patients with ALL and 48 non-oncological patients without apparent infection were measured using multiplex analyte profiling technology (Luminex®). The concentration of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with fever was similar between patients with ALL and fever at diagnosis and those without fever. The levels of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and IL-10 were higher in patients with ALL vs. the control group (P<0.05). Moreover, the levels of the T helper 1 (interferon‑γ and IL-12) cytokines were higher in patients with ALL vs. the control group. Transforming growth factor β was lower in patients with ALL vs. the control group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-13, and IL-17 were similar in the two groups. Our results indicate that the circulating levels of seven of the important studied cytokines are elevated in patients with newly diagnosed ALL without apparent infection, reflecting a strong and deregulated inflammatory state in this disease, with a Th1-polarization profile.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Proteomics Research Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Figueroa
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Proteomics Research Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Cuaxospa
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Proteomics Research Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Martínez-Soto
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Proteomics Research Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Zauco
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medina-Sansón
authors.affiliation: Oncology Service, Children's Hospital Moctezuma, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Oncology Service, Children's Hospital Moctezuma, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Torres-Nava
authors.affiliation: Oncology Service, Highly Specialized Unit, General Hospital National Medical Center La Raza, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Félix-Castro
authors.affiliation: Research Unit on Infectious Diseases, Pediatric Hospital, National Medical Center XXI Century, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Proteomics Research Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Mexico Federico Gómez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maldonado-Bernal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016764:Cell Polarity; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines