Anemia-Inducing Substance Is Related to Elimination of Lipolytic Hyperactivity by Cyclic Plasma Perfusion in Human Cancer Cachexia

We previously reported that cyclic plasma perfusion suppressed lipolytic activity in malignant tumor-bearing animals and reversed their body weight loss. In this study we investigated the relation between this phenomenon and interleukin (IL) -1α, IL-1β, IL-6, interferon-γ, leukemia inhibitory factor, tumor necrosis factor-α, and anemia-inducing substance (AIS) in vitro by examining changes in their levels in the plasma of advanced ovarian cancer patients. When the patients' plasma was incubated with noncoated charcoal for one hour, its lipolytic activity decreased by 39.0 ± 2.4%, which was similar to the results obtained with the plasma of healthy subjects. IL-1a, IL-1β, interferon-g, leukemia inhibitory factor, and tumor necrosis factor-α did not adsorb the charcoal. IL-6 was 3.7% adsorbed, but this did not cause a significant difference (p = 0.131). Nor was the recombinant form of these cytokines adsorbed to the charcoal. AIS, however, was 98.1% adsorbed. These results indicate that AIS is strongly associated with the reduction in lipolytic activity by cyclic plasma perfusion through noncoated charcoal resin.