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Serum levels of interleukin-6 in multiple myeloma and other hematological disorders: correlation with disease activity and other prognostic parameters

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Summary

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine involved in the regulation of the terminal differentiation pathway of B lymphocytes. Recent reports revealed its potential role in the in vitro and in vivo growth of human multiple myeloma cells. The mechanism, however, by which IL-6 triggers proliferation of malignant plasma cells remains controversial. Using the very sensitive 7TD1 bioassay we quantified endogenous circulating IL-6 levels in serum samples of 104 patients suffering from monoclonal gammopathies and other hematological disorders [47 with multiple myeloma (MM), 24 with monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS), 8 with myeloproliferative disease, and 25 suffering from lowgrade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)]. Elevated serum levels of IL-6 (>5 pg/ml) were detected in 42% of the patients with MM, in 13% with MGUS, in 15% with low-grade B-NHL, and in 1 patient with T-NHL. In patients suffering from chronic myeloproliferative diseases, IL-6 levels were within the normal range. In patients with myeloma, IL-6 levels were significantly higher at advanced stages (II/III) or with progressive disease than in patients with MM stage I, MGUS, or at the plateau phase (P<0.01). In patients with monoclonal gammopathies including MGUS, serum IL-6 levels correlated with neopterin, tumor necrosis factor alpha and β2-microglobulin. An inverse correlation was found with hemoglobin levels. From these results, we propose that in myeloma patients serum IL-6 levels may reflect disease activity and tumor cell mass. The correlation with serum neopterin, a macrophage product, also suggests its origin in an activated immune system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology and Immunohaematology, University Hospital of Internal Medicine, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    D. M. Nachbaur, M. Herold, A. Maneschg & H. Huber

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  1. D. M. Nachbaur
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  2. M. Herold
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  3. A. Maneschg
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  4. H. Huber
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Nachbaur, D.M., Herold, M., Maneschg, A. et al. Serum levels of interleukin-6 in multiple myeloma and other hematological disorders: correlation with disease activity and other prognostic parameters. Ann Hematol 62, 54–58 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01714900

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01714900

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