INTERFERON-ALPHA-2B ALONE AND COMBINED WITH OCTREOTIDE IN PRIMARY CARCINOID CELL-CULTURES
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- Published online on: November 1, 1994 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.1.6.1165
- Pages: 1165-1170
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Abstract
Interferon and octreotide are two main therapeutic options in metastatic carcinoid disease. In primary cell cultures prepared from 26 previously untreated carcinoid patients interferon-alpha 2b (alpha-INF), alone and combined with octreotide, significantly reduced medium serotonin (5-HT). The amines were measured with reversed phase HPLC and electrochemical detection, total DNA with a photometric method. Interferon lowered the medium concentration of serotonin to 53% (range 42-79%), octreotide alone to 44% (range 23-48%). Neither interferon, octreotide nor the combined treatment decreased DNA content. Octreotide had no effect on intracellular 5-HT. Both interferon alone and combined with octreotide lowered intracellular 5-HT concentrations significantly. This may represent a direct biochemical effect of interferon on tryptophan metabolism.