[Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukins 2, 4 and 6 (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6) in cervical-uterine cells of intraepithelial neoplasia: a preliminary report].

The purpose of this work was to determine the expression of type Th1 cytokines: IL-2 and IFNgamma, and Th2: IL-4 and IL-6, as well as TNF-alpha in patients with precancerous lesions of the uterine cervix and their relationship with the human papiloma virus (HPV). 30 patients with precancerous lesions (NIC 1: 70%, NIC 2: 16.7% and NIC 3: 1.3%) and 9 normal controls were studied. A clinical history, gynecological evaluation, cytology and an uterine biopsy were carried out in each patient and control. PCR was used for the diagnosis of HPV. IFN-gamma expression (positive cells/field) was increased in patients with NIC (5.06 +/- 4.7 vs 0 in the control group; p < 0.05). TNFa was a little higher in pathologycal tissues than in the controls (5.23 +/- 3.63 vs 1.55 +/- 2.65; p < 0.05). IL-2 was higher in pathologycal cases than in the controls (8.73 +/- 5.23 vs 0.33 +/- 1, p < 0.05). IL-4 were expressed in both, patients and controls (6.53 +/- 5.23 vs 5.77 +/- 7.32). IL-6 was also higher in patients (4.63 +/- 3.34 vs 0.77 +/- 2.33; p < 0.05). When the HPV status was considered, only IFN-gamma (p < 0.05) and IL-2 (p < 0.05) were significantly higher in HPV positive patients (n = 4) compared to controls. When HPV+ patients were compared with HPV- patients, only IFNgamma was significant (11.5 +/- 5 vs 4.07 +/- 3.8; p < 0.05). In conclusion, Type Th1 immune response prevails in patients with precancerous lesions, whether they are HPV positive or not.