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Serum levels of IL‐6 and its soluble receptor (sIL‐6R) in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia
Author(s) -
Hatzimichael Eleftheria ChR.,
Christou Leonidas,
Bai Maria,
Kolios George,
Kefala Lambrini,
Bourantas Konstantinos L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
european journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0902-4441
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0609.2001.00152.x
Subject(s) - medicine , interleukin 6 receptor , cytokine , immune system , multiple myeloma , waldenstrom macroglobulinemia , interleukin 6 , receptor , disease , endocrinology , immunology , lymphoma
Background : Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays roles in the immune response, inflammation and hematopoiesis. Serum IL‐6 levels have reported to reflect disease severity and high tumor burden in multiple myeloma (MM) patients and to correlate with several other laboratory parameters. Serum‐soluble IL‐6 receptor (sIL‐6R) plays an agonist role in IL‐6 signaling, enhancing its biological activity tenfold. Purpose–Methods : We measured IL‐6 and sIL‐6R levels in 11 patients (7 male, 4 female, mean age 66.9 yr) with Waldenström's macrobulinemia (WM) using a commercially available enzyme‐linked immunoassay in order to investigate their biological role and to find any possible relationship with disease severity, tumor burden or response to treatment. Results : Serum IL‐6 and sIL‐6R concentrations at diagnosis were significantly higher than in healthy controls (Mann–Whitney U ‐test, p <0.001 and p <0.01, respectively). Patients who were effectively treated had a significant reduction in IL‐6 levels ( p =0.017). With regard to sIL‐6R levels, no specific tendency was observed. In some of the responsive patients the levels increased whereas in others they decreased. No correlation was found between IL‐6 and sIL‐6R levels at diagnosis ( p =0.9, r =0.036) or after treatment ( p =0.083, r =0.3). Conclusions : Our results suggest that IL‐6 may be a marker reflecting tumor burden, disease severity and response to treatment in WM. With regard to sIL‐6R, we believe that it does not seem to be of much value, and its role remains to be clarified. However, future studies are needed to confirm and further extend the present results.