title: Reversal of suppression of lymphokine-activated killer cells by transforming growth factor-beta in ovarian carcinoma ascitic fluid requires interleukin-2 combined with anti-CD3 antibody.
abstract: Ascitic fluid from human ovarian carcinoma (AF) has been shown to inhibit IL-2-induced lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell generation from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) resulting from the presence of biologically active transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). A 50% concentration of AF completely suppressed the LAK response to 100 units IL-2/ml and only partial reversal (less than 50%) could be achieved by increasing the IL-2 concentration to 1000 units/ml. We evaluated the ability of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha, 1-1000 ng/ml) and anti-CD3 antibody (alpha-CD3, 1-100 ng/ml) to reverse AF-mediated suppression of IL-2-stimulated LAK generation. TNF-alpha alone did not generate significant LAK activity, but in the presence of suboptimal concentrations of IL-2 (10 and 100 units/ml), TNF-alpha significantly boosted the generation of LAK, but was unable to significantly reverse AF-mediated suppression of the IL-2 response (even at 1000 units/ml). In contrast, alpha-CD3 alone generated LAK activity at concentrations as low as 1 ng/ml and markedly enhanced generation of LAK activity when added to suboptimal concentrations of IL-2. alpha-CD3 combined with IL-2 significantly reversed AF suppression at 100 units IL-2/ml and at 1000 units/ml completely reversed suppression by two of three highly suppressive samples of AF. Significant reversal occurred with the third AF sample. It may be possible to overcome TGF-beta-mediated suppression by measures other than by increasing the IL-2 concentration.
authors.affiliation: Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation-Hamilton Regional Cancer Centre, Canada.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Hirte
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rusthoven
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazurka
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D001201:Ascites / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta