title: A possible role for interferon-alpha and activated natural killer cells in remission of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma: in vitro studies.
abstract: The effect of consensus interferon-alpha on the growth of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma-derived cells was studied. Interferon caused a low but significant in vitro inhibition of cell growth. Whereas Kaposi's sarcoma cells were resistant to the cytotoxic effect of natural killer (NK) cells, treatment of NK cells with either interferon or interleukin-2 activated the cell-mediated cytotoxic response. Pretreatment of the Kaposi's sarcoma cells with interferon reduced their sensitivity to interferon-primed natural killer cell or lymphokine (interleukin-2)-activated killer (LAK) cell cytotoxicity. The resistance of Kaposi's sarcoma cells to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity did not reside in conjugate formation but was due to an inability of Kaposi's sarcoma cells to induce NK cytotoxic factor. Although interferon reduces the sensitivity of Kaposi's sarcoma cells to interferon-primed NK cell and LAK cell activities, the level of natural killing susceptibility remained significantly higher than the poor sensitivity of Kaposi's sarcoma cells to unprimed NK cell activity. Thus, the potential antitumor effect of interferon against Kaposi's sarcoma cells could be mediated both directly (antiproliferative) and/or indirectly by activation of NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Ozés
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Blatt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sturzl
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000187:drug effects; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects*; D055646:Killer Factors, Yeast; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D007370:Interferon Type I; D055646:Killer Factors, Yeast; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins