title: Interleukin 2 receptors on squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Characterization and functional role.
abstract: IL2Rs, in the presence of IL2, mediate activation and proliferation of human normal lymphocytes and modulate functional changes of some human leukocytic malignancies. IL2Rs have been demonstrated also on human neoplastic and fetal non-hematologic cells in vitro, although their functional role has not been described. We describe the presence of high affinity IL2Rs on squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) lines in vitro. Expression of 200 binding sites for IL2 with an affinity of 17 x 10(-12) was demonstrated by radiobinding experiments. When cytocentrifuged SCCHN cells were studied by immunoperoxidase staining, strong positive staining was repeatedly obtained using a monoclonal antibody to the p70 subunit of the IL2Rs. Experiments in vitro and in vivo, in a nude mouse model, showed a functional role for these receptors. In fact, low doses (8-500 U/ml) of IL2 were able to inhibit growth of 11 of the 16 SCCHN lines tested. Our observations may have broad implications for the immunotherapy of cancer in general, showing the complementary immunomodulatory and direct effects of IL2.
authors.affiliation: II Otolaryngology Department, University of Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cortesina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sacchi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galeazzi
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Whiteside
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2