Oka M, Yamamoto K, Takahashi M, Hakozaki M, Abe T, Iizuka N, Hazama S, Hirazawa K, Hayashi H, Tangoku A, Hirose K, Ishihara T, Suzuki T
Department of Surgery II, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Japan.
Cancer Res. 1996 Jun 15;56(12):2776-80.
Serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) are correlated with the disease status and prognosis in cancer patients. IL-6 is also an important mediator of experimental cancer cachexia. We investigated the production of IL-6 and IL-6 receptors and expression of IL-6 mRNA by esophageal squamous carcinoma cells using immunohistochemical staining and in situ reverse transcription-PCR. We also measured levels of serum IL-6 using an ELISA in 50 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) to determine the correlation between serum levels of IL-6 and clinicopathological factors IL-6 mRNA was expressed in the primary tumor. Esophageal squamous carcinoma cells produced both IL-6 and IL-6 receptor. IL-6 concentrations were significantly higher in the primary tumor than in the normal epithelium. The incidences of weight loss, tumor invasion to adjacent organs, and noncurative resection were significantly higher in ESCC patients with serum levels of IL-6 > or = 7 pg/ml (n = 13, group C) compared with patients with serum levels <7 pg/ml and > or = 3 pg/ml (n = 14, group B) and <3 pg/ml (n = 23, group A). Tumor size and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher and albumin levels were significantly lower in group C. Results suggest that IL-6, which is produced by tumor cells, may be related to various disease parameters as well as to the nutritional status in patients with ESCC.
血清白细胞介素6（IL-6）水平与癌症患者的疾病状态及预后相关。IL-6也是实验性癌症恶病质的重要介质。我们采用免疫组织化学染色和原位逆转录聚合酶链反应，研究食管鳞状癌细胞中IL-6及IL-6受体的产生情况和IL-6信使核糖核酸的表达。我们还运用酶联免疫吸附测定法检测了50例食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）患者的血清IL-6水平，以确定血清IL-6水平与临床病理因素之间的相关性。IL-6信使核糖核酸在原发性肿瘤中表达。食管鳞状癌细胞可产生IL-6和IL-6受体。原发性肿瘤中的IL-6浓度显著高于正常上皮组织。血清IL-6水平≥7 pg/ml的ESCC患者（n = 13，C组）出现体重减轻、肿瘤侵犯相邻器官及非根治性切除的发生率，显著高于血清水平＜7 pg/ml且≥3 pg/ml的患者（n = 14，B组）及＜3 pg/ml的患者（n = 23，A组）。C组的肿瘤大小和C反应蛋白水平显著更高，白蛋白水平显著更低。结果表明，肿瘤细胞产生的IL-6可能与ESCC患者的各种疾病参数以及营养状况有关。
