Anti-interferon-gamma antibody treatment, growth of Lewis lung tumours in mice and tumour-associated cachexia
Matthys, P.; Heremans, H.; Opdenakker, G.; Billiau, A.
European Journal of Cancer 27(2): 182-187
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0959-8049 PMID: 1827286 Document Number: 371608
C57BL16N mice bearing Lewis lung tumours were treated with anti-gamma-interferon (IFN-.gamma.) monoclonal antibodies. Early, but not late, treatment inhibited tumour growth, suggesting that endogenous IFN-.gamma. promotes initial tumor cell proliferation. Tumour development was associate with failure to gain weight or with progressive weight loss. Anti-INF-.gamma. given early or late countereacted this wasting syndrome, which indicates that IFN-.gamma. production subsists during tumour growth and is directly or indirectly responsible for tumour-associated cachexia. Studies of body composition in cachectic mice revealed fat tissue to be particularly affected. Fat loss was enhanced by IFN-.gamma. and antagonised by anti-IFN-.gamma. Tumour-bearing mice were also hypersensitive to the lethal effect of endotoxin;/ anti-IFN-.gamma. was unable to mitigate this sensitisation, suggesting that IFN-.gamma. does not exert its cachexia-inducing effect through augmentation of the host response to an endogenous endotoxin source.