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The Serum Cytokine Profiles of Lymphoma-associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome: A Comparative Analysis of B-Cell and T-Cell/Natural Killer Cell Lymphomas

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Abstract

To elucidate the differences in pathogenesis between lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndromes (LAHS) of theT-cell/ natural killer cell (T/NK) and B-cell (B) types,we comparatively analyzed the clinical features and serum cytokine profiles of 33 patients with LAHS registered in the Kyoto University Hematology/Oncology Study Group.The serum cytokine levels of each patient group (B-LAHS versusT/NK-LAHS) were expressed as the ratio of the median to the upper normal values of the respective cytokines and were as follows: 19.05 versus 13.99 for soluble interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor, 0.67 versus 0.67 for granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), 0.64 versus 1.26 for G-CSF, 5.70 versus 3.61 for M-CSF, 1.54 versus 3.39 for interferon γ (IFN-γ), 13.17 versus 1.17 for IL-6, 6.88 versus 1.58 for tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), 0.71 versus 0.41 for IL-1, 1.99 versus 0.21 for IL-12, and 105.32 versus 29.65 for IL-10.The serum levels of IL-6,TNF-α, and IL-10 were significantly higher in the B-LAHS group,whereas those of IFN-γ were significantly lower. These differences between the 2 groups may reflect a difference in the pathogenesis. Higher serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 may be derived at least partly from neoplastic B-cells themselves. In addition, the extremely high serum levels of IL-10 suggest that a compensatory anti-inflammatory process may operate in both groups and give rise to a profound immunosuppressive state and a poor outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ohtsu Red Cross Hospital, 1-35, 1 Chome, 520, Ohtsu, Japan

    Tatsuharu Ohno

  2. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kurashiki Central Hospital, Kurashiki

    Yasunori Ueda

  3. Department of Hematology and Immunology, Kobe Central Municipal Hospital, Kobe

    Ken-ichi Nagai & Takayuki Takahashi

  4. Division of Hematology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Kitano Hospital, Osaka

    Yoshiteru Konaka

  5. Department of Hematology and Immunology, Rakuwakai Otowa Hospital, Kyoto

    Teruyuki Takamatsu

  6. Department of Hematology, Shiga Prefectural Center for Adult Disease, Moriyama

    Takayo Suzuki

  7. College of Medical Technology, Kyoto University, Kyoto

    Masataka Sasada

  8. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Takashi Uchiyama

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  1. Tatsuharu Ohno
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  2. Yasunori Ueda
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  4. Takayuki Takahashi
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Correspondence to Tatsuharu Ohno.

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Ohno, T., Ueda, Y., Nagai, Ki. et al. The Serum Cytokine Profiles of Lymphoma-associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome: A Comparative Analysis of B-Cell and T-Cell/Natural Killer Cell Lymphomas. Int J Hematol 77, 286–294 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02983788

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