Relationships Between Local and Systemic Expression of Interleukin-12 and Plasma Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Background: Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a heterodimeric cytokine that exhibits potent anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activities. Very few studies have investigated the expression of IL-12 in patients with gastric cancer. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expressi...

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Published in:Anticancer research 2004-09, Vol.24 (5C), p.3289-3294
Main Authors: NAKAYAMA, Yoshifumi, INOUE, Yuzuru, ITOH, Hideaki, NAGASHIMA, Nobuo, KATSUKI, Takefumi, MATSUMOTO, Kentarou, SHIBAO, Kazunori, TSURUDOME, Keisuke, HIRATA, Keiji, SAKO, Tatsuhiko, NAGATA, Naoki
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Count
Female
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Interleukin-12 - blood
Interleukin-12 - metabolism
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Staging
Stomach Neoplasms - blood
Stomach Neoplasms - metabolism
Stomach Neoplasms - pathology
Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus
Tumors
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood
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Summary:Background: Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a heterodimeric cytokine that exhibits potent anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activities. Very few studies have investigated the expression of IL-12 in patients with gastric cancer. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression and serum levels of IL-12, and plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with gastric cancer. Patients and Methods: IL-12 was immunohistochemically stained using monoclonal anti-human IL-12 antibody (1-1A4) in surgical specimens of 27 gastric cancer patients. IL-12-positive cells were counted and positive cell density was calculated. Blood was obtained before surgery. Serum levels of IL-12 and plasma levels of VEGF were assessed using the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. The relationships of IL-12-positive cell density, serum levels of IL-12, plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and clinicopathological factors were evaluated. Results: Although IL-12-positive cell density was not associated with serum levels of IL-12, the IL-12-positive cell density tended to increase in patients with serum levels of IL-12 higher than the mean level (p=0.0518). IL-12-positive cell density significantly decreased in the patients with CEA positive or differentiated type. Moreover, IL-12-positive cell density tended to be inversely correlated with plasma levels of VEGF (p=0.0801, r=-0.343). Conclusion: These results suggest that the immune efficiency in patients with gastric cancer may be reflected by IL-12-positive cell density and serum levels of IL-12. Thus, patients with low IL-12-positive cell density or serum levels of IL-12 in gastric cancer may require additional immunochemotherapy after surgery.
ISSN:0250-7005
1791-7530