Monokine levels in cancer and infection

Abstract

The levels of monocyte intracellular monokines (TNFalpha, MIP, and MIG) in patients with cancer or bacterial infection were studied by multiparameter flow cytometry and comparative fluorescence analysis. TNFalpha, MIP, and MIG levels in peripheral blood of patients with cancer or bacterial infection were higher than in normal controls (p <0.005). In normal controls, no significant relationships were found among TNFalpha, MIG, MIP levels, monocyte count, and lymphocyte count in peripheral blood. In cancer patients, TNFalpha was strongly related to MIP (r = 0.809, p <0.001) and MIG (r = 0.773, p <0.001). Of the 3 monokines, TNFalpha and MIG levels were related to monocyte count, but none showed correlation with lymphocyte count in cancer patients. In patients with bacterial infection,TNFalpha was not significantly related to MIP (r = 0.423, p = 0.051), but it was related to MIG (r = 0.457; p = 0.033). None of the monokines (TNFalpha, MIP, MIG) was related to the monocyte count, but the MIP level was related to the peripheral blood lymphocyte count in patients with bacterial infection (r = 0.559, p = 0.008). These results suggest that circulating monocytes may play an important role in both cancer and bacterial infection through increased production of monokines. Moreover, correlations of the monokine levels with each other and their relationships to the monocyte count differ in patients with cancer and bacterial infection.