title: The effects of pentoxifylline on the generation of human lymphokine-activated killer cell cytotoxicity.
abstract: Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a methylated xanthine that has been shown to reduce the toxicity of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy in animal models, possibly by inhibiting secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. However, the use of PTX to reduce IL-2 toxicity in cancer patients would be advantageous only if PTX did not abrogate antitumor effector mechanisms. We therefore tested the effects of PTX on the induction of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell reactivity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). LAK precursor and effector activity were defined as lysis of Daudi cells by PBMCs after incubation with IL-2 at 1,000 U/ml (LAKp) or without incubation (LAKe). PBMCs from four healthy subjects were cocultured for 5 days with IL-2 and PTX (0-1.0 mM). LAKp was inhibited in a PTX dose-dependent manner, as the mean % lysis at an E:T ratio of 50:1 was 62, 43, and 8% in the presence of 0, 0.1, and 1.0 mM PTX, respectively. To determine the effect of in vivo PTX on LAKp activity, four healthy subjects were tested after treatment with PTX at 2 g/day for 3 days. LAKp activity was detected in all four and was not inhibited by autologous serum containing PTX and biologically active metabolites. Because lymphocytes "preactivated" by IL-2 in vivo may respond to PTX differently than resting cells, two patients were tested after a 5 day infusion of IL-2 at 6 x 10(6) U/m2/day. PBMCs from both displayed LAKp activity, with far less inhibition by PTX than in resting cells (4, 17, and 37% inhibition at 0.05, 0.1, and 1.0 mM, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lindgren
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Benyunes
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fefer
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000187:drug effects*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010431:Pentoxifylline