Frontiers in Immunology (Mar 2023)

Cytokine concentration in peripheral blood of patients with colorectal cancer

  • Wenchang Li,
  • Wenchang Li,
  • Wenchang Li,
  • Fangqian Chen,
  • Fangqian Chen,
  • Fangqian Chen,
  • Han Gao,
  • Han Gao,
  • Han Gao,
  • Zhuoqing Xu,
  • Zhuoqing Xu,
  • Zhuoqing Xu,
  • Yu Zhou,
  • Shenjie Wang,
  • Zeping Lv,
  • Zeping Lv,
  • Yuchen Zhang,
  • Yuchen Zhang,
  • Yuchen Zhang,
  • Zifeng Xu,
  • Zifeng Xu,
  • Zifeng Xu,
  • Jianting Huo,
  • Jianting Huo,
  • Jianting Huo,
  • Jingkun Zhao,
  • Jingkun Zhao,
  • Yaping Zong,
  • Yaping Zong,
  • Wenqing Feng,
  • Wenqing Feng,
  • Wenqing Feng,
  • Xiaohui Shen,
  • Zhiyuan Wu,
  • Aiguo Lu,
  • Aiguo Lu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1175513
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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IntroductionThe role of tumour secretory cytokines and peripheral circulatory cytokines in tumour progression has received increasing attention; however, the role of tumour-related inflammatory cytokines in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. In this study, the concentrations of various cytokines in the peripheral blood of healthy controls and patients with CRC at different stages were compared.MethodsPeripheral blood samples from 4 healthy participants and 22 colorectal cancer patients were examined. Luminex beads were used to evaluate concentration levels of 40 inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood samples.ResultsIn peripheral blood, compared with healthy controls and early stage (I + II) CRC patients, advanced CRC (III + IV) patients had increased concentrations of mononuclear/macrophage chemotactic-related proteins (CCL7, CCL8, CCL15, CCL2, and MIF), M2 polarization-related factors (IL-1β, IL-4), neutrophil chemotactic and N2 polarization-related cytokines (CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL6, IL-8), dendritic cells (DCs) chemotactic-related proteins (CCL19, CCL20, and CCL21), Natural killer (NK) cell related cytokines (CXCL9, CXCL10), Th2 cell-related cytokines (CCL1, CCL11, CCL26), CXCL12, IL-2, CCL25, and CCL27, and decreased IFN-γ and CX3CL1 concentrations. The differential upregulation of cytokines in peripheral blood was mainly concentrated in CRC patients with distant metastasis and was related to the size of the primary tumour; however, there was no significant correlation between cytokine levels in peripheral blood and the propensity and mechanism of lymph node metastasis.DiscussionDifferent types of immune cells may share the same chemokine receptors and can co-localise in response to the same chemokines and exert synergistic pro-tumour or anti-tumour functions in the tumour microenvironment. Chemokines and cytokines affect tumour metastasis and prognosis and may be potential targets for treatment.

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