Cytokine mRNA expression patterns in human esophageal cancer cell lines

The mRNA expression for 21 kinds of cytokines was measured in six human esophageal cancer cell lines using RT-PCR. More than moderate levels of RNA for IL-1 alpha were expressed in six of six cell lines, IL-1 beta in four, IL-6 in six, IL-7 in five, IL-10 in six, G-CSF in six, GM-CSF in six, SCF in six, MIP-2 beta in two, and LIF in six. None of the tumors expressed detectable message for IL-2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, or IRAP after 30 cycles of PCR amplification. IL-1 alpha, IL-6, M-CSF, and GM-CSF levels in the culture supernatants were detectable using ELISA in three of six, four of six, one of six, and six of six ECCs, respectively. IL-1 beta, IL-2, TNF-alpha, and G-CSF were not detectable in all ECCs. There was no correlation between cytokine mRNA expression and production. These results suggest the existence of a complicated cytokine network around esophageal carcinomas that may affect their growth and proliferation.