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The pattern of cytokine gene expression in human colorectal carcinoma

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

Systemic and local cytokine environment may modulate the immunogenicity of colorectal cancer cells, and affect anti-tumor immune functions of tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes. We therefore investigated cytokine mRNA expression patterns in tumors and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. IL-2, IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-1β mRNAs in single cell suspension of freshly isolated colorectal cancer tissue were studied by RT-PCR. Frequencies of cytokine gene expression were compared to those in normal colonic mucosa from tumor patients. The frequencies of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 gene expression were also determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma and compared to those of healthy individuals. Tumor samples were more frequently positive for IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α and IL-10 gene expression than normal mucosa (p=0.0001, p=0.0118, p=0.001 and p<0.0001, respectively). Frequencies of IL-2 and TNF-α gene expressions were significantly higher in tumors with a diameter <5 cm, than in those with a diameter >5 cm. The genes for IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 were commonly expressed in both tumor tissue and normal colonic mucosa. IFN-γ transcripts were detected in more PBMC samples from patients with colorectal cancer than those from normal controls (p=0.0449). Thus, colorectal cancer tissue is characterized by a specific pattern of cytokine gene expression. It is likely that multiple interactions between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines regulate tumor growth and the functional activity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA

    Anna Csiszár

  2. Department of Surgery, Szent Imre Hospital, Budapest

    Tamás Szentes

  3. Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, National Medical Center, Budapest, Hungary

    Bea Haraszti, Győző G Petrányi & Éva Pócsik PhD

Authors
  1. Anna Csiszár
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  2. Tamás Szentes
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  3. Bea Haraszti
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  4. Annamária Balázs
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  5. Győző G Petrányi
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  6. Éva Pócsik PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Éva Pócsik PhD.

Additional information

This work was supported by the grants OTKA No. T 031745 and ETT No. 207/2001. The authors acknowledge Mrs. Erzsébet Bita for her excellent technical assistance with the experimental work.

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Csiszár, A., Szentes, T., Haraszti, B. et al. The pattern of cytokine gene expression in human colorectal carcinoma. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 10, 109–116 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893465

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893465

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