Interleukin-2 in neoadjuvant therapy potentiates inhibitory activity of 5-fluorouracil and interferon in experimental liver metastases.
Our previous studies showed that interferon (IFN) used in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was effective in inhibiting colorectal tumor cell metastases to the liver in nude mice. Furthermore, IFN was also effective in neoadjuvant therapy and allowed the combination treatment (5-FU + IFN) to be delayed for 2-3 weeks following i.s. injections of tumor cells. In this study, we have examined the potential of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to substitute for IFN in neoadjuvant therapy. IL-2 was found to be equally effective, if not superior, to IFN as a neoadjuvant in inhibiting liver and lung metastases with 5-FU + IFN. Moreover, the effect of IL-2 was demonstrable even after 1 week, whereas IFN did not have an effect until 2 weeks of neoadjuvant dosing. These studies demonstrate IL-2 to be more effective than IFN as an immunomodulatory agent in combination with 5-FU + IFN for the inhibition of liver metastases in nude mice.
Lee
M
M
Department of Surgery, Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
Pierce
A
A
Mahaffey
W
W
Specht
S
S
Stemmler
N
N
Katoh
A
A
D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013156:Splenectomy
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005472:Fluorouracil