Monocytes and neutrophils as 'bad guys' for the outcome of interleukin-2 with and without histamine in metastatic renal cell carcinoma - results from a randomised phase II trial

Histamine (HDC) inhibits formation and release of phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species, and thereby protects natural killer (NK) and T cells against oxidative damage. Thus, the addition of histamine may potentially improve the efficacy of interleukin-2 (IL-2). We have explored this potential me...

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Published in:British journal of cancer Vol. 94; no. 2; pp. 218 - 226
Main Authors: DONSKOV, F, HOKLAND, M, MARCUSSEN, N, TORP MADSEN, H. H, VON DER MAASE, H
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 30-01-2006
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Summary:Histamine (HDC) inhibits formation and release of phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species, and thereby protects natural killer (NK) and T cells against oxidative damage. Thus, the addition of histamine may potentially improve the efficacy of interleukin-2 (IL-2). We have explored this potential mechanism clinically in two randomised phase II trials in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In parallel with the clinical trial in Denmark (n=63), we obtained serial blood samples and tumour biopsies searching for a potential histamine effect in situ. At baseline and on-treatment weeks 3 and 8, we monitored the 'good guys' (i.e. NK and T cells) and 'bad guys' (i.e. monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils) simultaneously in blood (n=59) and tumour tissue (n=44). Patients with high number of monocytes and neutrophils in peripheral blood had very poor survival, with apparently no benefit from either IL-2 alone or IL-2/HDC treatment. Blood monocytes (r=-0.36, P=0.01) and neutrophils (r=-0.46, P=0.001) were negatively correlated with cytotoxicity, whereas blood NK cells were positively correlated with cytotoxicity (r=0.39, P=0.002). Treatment with IL-2 alone resulted in a significantly higher number of circulating monocytes (P=0.037) and intratumoral macrophages (P=0.005) compared with baseline. In contrast, IL-2/HDC resulted in an unchanged number of circulating monocytes and intratumoral macrophages, and in addition, a significantly increased number of intratumoral CD56(+) NK cells (P=0.008) and CD8(+) T cells (P=0.019) compared with baseline. The study provides evidence that circulating monocytes and neutrophils are powerful negative prognostic factors for IL-2-based immunotherapy and establishes a biological rationale for the potential use of histamine in conjunction with IL-2 in mRCC.
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ISSN:0007-0920
1532-1827
DOI:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602937