Immunotherapy of cancer with lymphokine-activated killer cells and recombinant interleukin-2.
Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells can be generated in vitro by incubation of normal murine or human lymphoid cells in recombinant interleukin-2 (RIL-2). These LAK cells are capable of mediating the lysis of fresh, noncultured tumor cells in 4-hour chromium release assays. The adoptive transfer of LAK cells plus RIL-2 is capable of mediating the inhibition of established pulmonary micrometastases from syngeneic tumors in mice. High-dose RIL-2 administered alone is also capable of mediating these antitumor effects, probably via the production of LAK cells in vivo. The immunotherapeutic effect of RIL-2 but not of LAK cells plus RIL-2 is abrogated in hosts that have received preirradiation with 500 rads. The administration of high-dose RIL-2 is also capable of reducing the growth of solid subdermal tumors as well. The use of LAK cells in conjunction with RIL-2 may be applicable to the treatment of cancer in humans, and clinical trials to evaluate this approach in humans have begun.
D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D007376:Interleukin-2