Expression of interleukin-4 and -13 and their receptors in gastric cancer

Background/aims: Interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 are secreted, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokines with close structural and biological homology. Both cytokines can influence cancer-directed immunosurveillance thereby regulating tumor growth and metastasis. Nothing is presently known about expression of these cytokines and their receptors in gastric cancer specimens. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of Interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 as well as their corresponding receptors in gastric cancer tissues and to evaluate their prognostic value.

Methodology: Expression of interleukin-4, -13, -4 receptor and -13 receptor protein was characterized by immunohistochemistry in 94 patients with UICC stage I-IV gastric cancer and evaluated by uni- and multivariate analysis for their prognostic relevance.

Results: The 5- and 10-year overall-survival rates were 36% and 27%, respectively. Age, UICC-Stage, histological classification, pT-classification, pN-classification, presence of distant metastases, radicality at operation and tumour recurrence were associated with overall survival. All four proteins were expressed in gastric cancer specimens. In the cancer cells, high interleukin-4, -13, -4 receptor and -13 receptor immunoreactivity were present in 62% (58/94), 58% (54/94), 30% (28/94), and 59% (56/94), respectively. However, expression of above mentioned cytokines did not influence overall survival or the frequency of lymph node metastases. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, pT-classification, the presence of distant metastases and tumour recurrence were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

Conclusions: Interleukin-4, -13 and -13 receptor proteins were overexpressed in gastric cancer specimens. However, they had no impact on survival or in the process of local metastases in stomach cancer.