Activation of human T cells obtained pre- and post-interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy by anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody plus IL-2: implications for combined in vivo treatment.
The role of activated T cells in the mediation of antitumor responses has been documented in several experimental models. In some of these, interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been used as a means to induce and expand the antitumor effects of the T cells. IL-2 has been tested in clinical trials for cancer treatment. Surprisingly, T cells appear to be inactivated by IL-2 in these clinical trials. T cells obtained from peripheral blood after IL-2 therapy showed decreased responses to mitogens and alloantigens, did not proliferate in vitro in response to IL-2, and did not mediate non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxicity or targeted lysis in the presence of bispecific monoclonal antibodies. In this study, we present evidence that these post-IL-2 therapy T cells are not irreversibly inactivated; they can be activated in vitro by anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody together with IL-2 to upregulate the p55 component of the IL-2 receptor and proliferate. Nevertheless, following activation by anti-CD3 and IL-2, the level of targeted T-cell cytotoxicity mediated by the post-IL-2 therapy T cells was significantly lower than that by pre-IL-2 therapy T cells. Although in vivo treatment with IL-2 alone induces natural killer (NK) cells to mediate lymphokine-activated killer activity, these data suggest that the T-cell lytic function is inhibited by this treatment and only partially reversible by subsequent T-cell receptor activation using anti-CD3 mAb. Exposure of T cells to anti-CD3 mAb prior to in vivo IL-2 treatment generates T-cell lytic activity in vitro. These results, together with preclinical murine studies, suggest that a combined in vivo protocol of anti-CD3 mAb and IL-2, starting first with the anti-CD3 mAb, may cause activation of the T cells in addition to the activation of NK cells and thus warrant clinical testing.
Weil-Hillman
G
G
Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Schell
K
K
Segal
D M
DM
Hank
J A
JA
Sosman
J A
JA
Sondel
P M
PM
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell