Macrophage expression of IL-10 is a prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer

¹ Dept of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara
² Dept of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova
³ Dept of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara
⁴ Dept of Medicine, Oncology and Radiology, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bsp{at}unife.it.

	Abstract

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is expressed in many solid tumours and has an ambivalent role in controlling cancer growth and metastases. To determine whether IL-10 is involved in tumour progression and prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we investigated IL-10 expression in tumour cells and tumour associated macrophages (TAMs) and its associations, if any, with the clinicopathological features.

Paraffin-embedded sections of surgical specimens obtained from 50 patients undergoing surgery for non-small cell lung cancer were immunostained with an antibody against IL-10. TAMs and tumour cells positive to IL-10 were subsequently quantified .

IL-10+ve TAMs were higher in patients with stages II, III and IV and in those with lymph node metastases as compared to patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. High IL-10 expression by TAMs was a significant independent predictor for advanced tumour stage and, thus, was associated with worse overall patient survival. Conversely, IL-10+ve tumour cells were not different between stages II, III and IV and stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.

In conclusion, IL-10 expression by TAMs, but not by tumour cells, may have a role in the progression and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer. These results may be useful in developing novel approaches in anticancer treatments.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. P. Lepique, K. R. P. Daghastanli, I. M. Cuccovia, and L. L. Villa HPV16 Tumor Associated Macrophages Suppress Antitumor T Cell Responses Clin. Cancer Res., July 1, 2009; 15(13): 4391 - 4400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. K. Bauer and E. A. Rondini REVIEW PAPER: The Role of Inflammation in Mouse Pulmonary Neoplasia Vet. Pathol., May 1, 2009; 46(3): 369 - 390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Ohri, A. Shikotra, R. H. Green, D. A. Waller, and P. Bradding Macrophages within NSCLC tumour islets are predominantly of a cytotoxic M1 phenotype associated with extended survival Eur. Respir. J., January 1, 2009; 33(1): 118 - 126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]