Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 11, Issue 5 482-486, Copyright © 1992 by American College of Nutrition

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effect of interleukin-2 on some micronutrients during adoptive immunotherapy for various cancers

H. Baker, S. L. Marcus, D. P. Petrylak, O. Frank, B. DeAngelis, E. R. Baker, J. P. Dutcher and P. H. Wiernik
Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07107.

In 20 patients, we investigated the effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment during adoptive immunotherapy for various cancers on circulating levels of: thiamin; biotin; folate; pantothenate; riboflavin; nicotinate; vitamins A, B6, B12 and E; carotenes; free and total cholines; inositol; and free and total carnitines. Of the above micronutrients, only vitamins A, B6, B12, inositol, carotenes and folate varied markedly from normal levels (pre IL-2 exposure) to abnormal levels (post IL-2). Following IL-2 exposure, every patient's B12 level was significantly elevated; 50% of the levels were abnormally increased above 1000 pg/ml. Extreme significant elevations of inositol were also seen in 90% of the patients. In contrast, IL-2 exposure depressed normal vitamins A, B6, carotene, and folate levels to subnormal; 90% of the patients became B6 hypovitaminemic; 60% for vitamin A, 80% for carotene, and 45% for folate. Other micronutrients tested showed no clear deviations from normal levels post IL-2 exposure. Some reasons for micronutrient variations are discussed.