Circulating Cytokines and Nitric Oxide are Involved in the Inhibition of Neutrophil Migration in Patients with Uterine Cervical Neoplasia

AIM To verify if patients with cervical neoplasia produce mediators that reduce leukocyte function. METHODS Control neutrophils incubated with normal serum or serum from pre-invasive or invasive neoplasia patients were assayed for chemotaxis. Mediators were assayed in serum and in leukocyte supernatants. Experiments were also performed in random patients after surgery. RESULTS Neutrophils incubated with patient sera, but not normal sera, failed to migrate towards the chemoattractants. In invasive neoplasia compared to controls, IL-6 and IL-8, and IL-10 and TNF-α were elevated in serum and in neutrophil supernatants, respectively. Nitrite levels were elevated in mononuclear cell supernatants from patients than controls. After surgery, serum cytokine levels were reduced, mainly in pre-invasive patients. Neutrophils treated with serum from pre-invasive patients undergone surgery had restored migration. CONCLUSION Patients with cervical neoplasia produce mediators, predominantly induced by tumor cells, able to impair the inflammatory response at very early stages of disease.