Endogenous pro-inflammatory cytokines in children and adolescents during chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Monocyte-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines such as GM-CSF, IL-12, and IP-10 might protect patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia against infections. In settings with abundant neutrophils, G-CSF has been described as a suppressor of IL-12, but also as an inducer of GM-CSF. In 25 pediatric patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia the authors measured plasma levels of these four cytokines. GM-CSF was detectable in only a minority of patients (6/25). It was, however, positively correlated with high plasma levels of IL-12 and IP-10. G-CSF levels, however, were in no way correlated with the levels of any of these three cytokines.