Interferon-gamma upregulates the susceptibility of human neuroblastoma cells to interleukin-2-activated natural killer cells.
The influence of interferon-gamma on the susceptibility of neuroblastoma cells in cell-mediated killing was investigated. Neuroblastoma cells were only weakly susceptible targets for peripheral mononuclear cells. However, enrichment of natural killer (NK) cells or activation of NK cells with interleukin-2 resulted in a considerable increase of neuroblastoma cell lysis. Pretreatment of neuroblastoma targets with interferon-gamma additionally increased the susceptibility to enriched NK cells as well as to interleukin-2-activated NK cells. The conjugate formation between enriched NK cells and the neuroblastoma targets was not affected by the pretreatment of the targets with interferon-gamma. Concomitantly, treatment of the neuroblastoma targets with interferon-gamma resulted in a strong induction of otherwise poorly expressed major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen expression. These results suggest that the increased expression of MHC class I antigens on target cells is not always correlated with decreased sensitivity for NK cells but can also be followed by an increased susceptibility for NK cells.
Handgretinger
R
R
Children's University Hospital, Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Tübingen, FRG.
Kimmig
A
A
Lang
P
P
Daurer
B
B
Kuci
S
S
Bruchelt
G
G
Treuner
J
J
Niethammer
D
D
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006680:HLA Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma