title: Effect of IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha on killing of human trophoblast by decidual LAK cells.
abstract: Human decidual large granular lymphocytes are capable of killing both normal trophoblast and choriocarcinoma cells after stimulation with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) in vitro. We now show that pre-treatment of normal trophoblast and JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) protects these target cells from killing by decidual effectors, although pre-treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) had no such effect. In contrast, JAR choriocarcinoma cells were readily killed before and after exposure to both IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha. This protective effect might be due to upregulation of non-classical trophoblast HLA Class I molecules, as IFN-gamma but not IFN-alpha enhances Class I surface expression in both normal trophoblast and JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. JAR cells, however, are constitutively and inductively negative for Class I expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Loke
mesh_terms: D016923:Cell Death / Q000276:immunology; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma