In vitro secretion of cytokines and prostaglandin-E2 by monocytes from lung cancer patients

Abstract

Monocytes (MO) from cancer patients present functional abnormalities, such as an altered secretion of soluble factors. In the present study, our aim was to evaluate the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) secreted in vitro by MO from lung cancer patients (LCP), spontaneously or after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results showed that cytokine secretion was higher for MO from LCP than for MO from healthy controls, while in the 25% of the patients analysed, an absence of response to LPS treatment was found. © 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.