[Characterization of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes from patients with renal cell carcinoma--influence of combination therapy with interferon alpha and gamma].
BACKGROUND
In an attempt to define the effects of combination therapy with interferon alpha and gamma, lymphocyte subsets in tumor site and peripheral blood have been studied.


METHODS
Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) and Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes (PBLs) from 13 interferon-treated and 11 untreated patients with primary renal cell carcinoma were characterized by two color flowcytometry. Interferon-treated patients received interferon alpha and interferon gamma before radical nephrectomy; Interferon alpha was administrated intramuscularly at a dose of 3 x 10(6) units every other day from a week before nephrectomy. Interferon gamma was administrated as intravenous drip infusion at a dose of 10(6) units after interferon alpha administration.


RESULTS
In both groups, both TILs and PBLs comprised about 70% of CD3-positive cells and CD3-positive TILs comprised significantly larger number of HLA-DR positive (activated T) cells compared to CD3-positive PBLs. Although TILs showed smaller number of CD4-positive cells compared to PBLs, TILs comprised more CD4+ Leu8- (helper T) cells than PBLs. Only in interferon-treated group, TILs comprised larger number of CD8+ CD11b-(cytotoxic T) cells than PBLs and CD16-positive cells (natural killer cells) than TILs in untreated group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that antitumor effects of interferon alpha and gamma combined administration may be concerned with natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells in tumor site.
Yanagiya
H
H
Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Hirosaki University.
Kudoh
S
S
Takahashi
S
S
Suzuki
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma