The present study investigated the effect of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on the immune functions and blood cell counts of patients with ovarian carcinoma receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy (CTX). Seventy-five consecutive patients with white blood cell counts less than 3,000/μl after CTX were randomly assigned to receive either M-CSF (human urinary macrophage colony-stimulating factor: hM-CSF, 8x106 U as 7-day intravenous infusions) or no treatment. Immune assays in addition to routine peripheral blood examinations were performed on these patients at various time points. hM-CSF dosing significantly increased monocyte, lymphocyte, granulocyte, and platelet counts that were decreased by CTX. hM-CSF also significantly enhanced lymphokine-activated killer and natural killer activities, which was accompanied by a significantly augmented interleukin (IL)-2 production. Interestingly, IL-2 production was enhanced by hM-CSF dosing in 24 of the 27 patients with a pre-hM-CSF level of IL-2 below 10 U/ml, but such an effect was not observed in nine of the 10 patients having a basal value of 10 U/ml or higher. Thus, hM-CSF is considered to be a cytokine that can augment or regulate immune functions impaired by CTX and increase blood cell counts that are decreased by CTX.

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