title: Associations of Selected Cytokines Levels in Organ Transplant Recipients Without and With Malignant Skin Neoplasms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin malignancies are the most prevalent neoplasms seen in organ transplant recipients (OTRs). Immunosuppressive treatment has been attributed to play a causative role in malignancy development. The aim of the study was to assess cytokine concentrations involved in cytotoxic and regulatory responses in patients after organ transplantation (Tx). We compared two OTR subgroups: those with malignant skin tumors and those without any known changes developed after Tx.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 102 patients, 63: 3-360 (median: min-max) months after Tx, aged 54.3 ± 9.9 (mean ± SD) years (38.2% females). Seventeen patients were diagnosed with malignant skin neoplasms. The most frequent treatment schemes were cyclosporine A - mycophenolate mofetil - glucocorticosteroids (GS) (37.4%), mycophenolate mofetil-tacrolimus - GS (15.2%), and azathioprine-cyclosporine A-GS (14.1%). A 5-mL sample of venous blood was obtained from participants of two subgroups: those with malignant skin tumors and those without any known changes. The blood was tested for interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma, IL-10, and transforming growth factor beta concentrations (Multicytokine Flex Set, ELISA). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare variables; P < .05 was considered valid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, gender distribution, and time from transplantation did not differ across the two subgroups. We found significantly lower blood concentrations of IL-2 and IL-10 in patients with post-transplantation skin cancers versus patients without any known skin changes (0 pgmL(-1) vs. 21.22 pgmL(-1), and 4.93 pgmL(-1) vs. 7.36 pgmL(-1), respectively). The differences between interferon gamma and transforming growth factor beta levels were insignificant across studied groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that immunosuppressive response assessed by cytokine IL-2 and IL-10 levels may be used in the risk stratification for the development of skin cancer in organ recipient patients.
authors: Outpatient Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Gdansk, Poland; Wyższa Szkoła Pielęgnacji, Zdrowia i Urody w Poznaniu, Gdynia, Poland. Electronic address: bimko@wp.pl.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Imko-Walczuk
authors: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Alergology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland; Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Piesiaków
authors: Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Trzonkowski
authors: Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pikuła
authors: Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Dębska-Ślizień
authors: Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Rutkowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D001379:Azathioprine