Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) enhances monocyte- and lymphocyte-mediated bladder tumour cell killing.
A cytotoxicity assay was used to study the action of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and cytokines on four human bladder cancer cell lines. Monocytes and lymphocytes from peripheral blood were incubated with or without BCG or cytokines for 24 h, after which [3H]thymidine-labelled target cells were added and the 72 h percentage specific release determined. BCG had a direct cytotoxic effect against tumour cells and significantly enhanced monocyte/macrophage and enhanced lymphocyte cytotoxicity against one cell line (UCRU-BL-17). Supernatants (SNs) from BCG-activated monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes increased the percentage specific release of [3H]thymidine from UCRU-BL-17 cells. Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) were cytotoxic towards UCRU-BL-17. No synergy occurred between BCG and cytokines at the concentrations tested. The results suggest that BCG is superior to IFN-alpha, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-2 in enhancing cell-mediated cytotoxicity.
Pryor
K
K
Centre for Immunology, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Goddard
J
J
Goldstein
D
D
Stricker
P
P
Russell
P
P
Golovsky
D
D
Penny
R
R
D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma