Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2012; 18(10): 1123-1129
Published online Mar 14, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i10.1123
Interleukin-8, a promising predictor for prognosis of pancreatic cancer
Ying Chen, Min Shi, Guan-Zhen Yu, Xiao-Ran Qin, Gang Jin, Peng Chen, Ming-Hua Zhu
Ying Chen, Min Shi, Ming-Hua Zhu, Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
Guan-Zhen Yu, Department of Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
Xiao-Ran Qin, Shanghai Chempartner Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China
Gang Jin, Peng Chen, Department of General Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
Author contributions: Chen Y and Shi M contributed equally to this work; Chen Y, Shi M, Yu GZ, Jin G and Zhu MH designed the research; Chen Y, Shi M, Yu GZ, Qin XR, Jin G and Chen P performed the research; Shi M, Yu GZ and Chen P collected follow-up data; Chen Y, Jin G and Qin XR analyzed the data; Chen Y, Shi M and Zhu MH wrote the paper.
Supported by The National Key Project of Scientific and Technical Supporting Programs of China, No. 2006BAI02A14; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30770996 and No. 30901776
Correspondence to: Ming-Hua Zhu, Professor, Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. mhzhu2000@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-21-81873000 Fax: +86-21-81873000
Received: May 9, 2011
Revised: November 17, 2011
Accepted: December 31, 2011
Published online: March 14, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the value of interleukin-8 (IL-8), a pro-inflammatory chemokine, in predicting the prognosis of pancreatic cancer.

METHODS: Expression of IL-8 and its receptor CXCR1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry in pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis samples. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the serum IL-8 levels in pancreatic cancer patients. Human pancreatic cancer tissues were heterotopically transplanted to the immune-deficiency mice to evaluate the effect of serum IL-8 on the tumorigenesis of the cancer samples.

RESULTS: IL-8 and CXCR1 proteins were both over-expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma samples (55.6% and 65.4%, respectively) compared with the matched para-cancer tissues (25.9% and 12.3%, P < 0.01), or chronic pancreatitis (0% and 25%, P < 0.05). Serum IL-8 levels in pancreatic cancer patients (271.1 ± 187.7 ng/mL) were higher than in other digestive system tumors, such as gastric cancer (41.77 ± 9.11 ng/mL, P = 0.025), colorectal carcinoma (78.72 ± 80.60 ng/mL, P = 0.032) and hepatocellular carcinoma (59.60 ± 19.80 ng/mL, P = 0.016). In vivo tumorigenesis analysis further proved that tumor tissues from patients with higher serum IL-8 levels grew faster than those with lower IL-8 levels.

CONCLUSION: IL-8 can be a fine serum marker for predicting the prognosis pancreatic cancer.

Keywords: Pancreatic cancer; Interleukin-8; CXCR1; Immunohistochemistry; Tumor implantation; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay