Generation of killer activity by interleukin-12 of mononuclear cells in malignant pleural effusions due to lung cancer.
In the present study, we examined the ability of interleukin (IL)-12 to generate an antitumor effect in the tumor-growing site. Mononuclear cells (MNC) were obtained from 12 malignant pleural effusions due to lung cancer in the tumor-growing site. Non-major-histocompatibility-complex-restricted killer activity, examined by 4-h 51Cr release assay against Daudi lymphoma cells as well as various lung cancer cell lines (H69 and PC-9), and in vitro production of interferon gamma (IFNgamma), measured by enzyme immunoassay, were investigated as mediators of antitumor effects of host cells activated by IL-12. IL-12 induced killer activity of MNC in pleural effusions (pleural MNC) dose-dependently. Moreover, pleural MNC produced a signficant amount of IFNgamma in response to IL- 12. The killer activities of IL-12-activated blood MNC were higher than those of pleural MNC. The supernatants of pleural effusions of these untreated patients suppressed killer induction by IL-12 of blood MNC of healthy volunteers. These observations suggest that MNC present at the site of growing tumors may act as effector cells against lung cancer in the presence of IL-12.
Hiramatsu
K
K
Third Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
Yanagawa
H
H
Haku
T
T
Sone
S
S
D002469:Cell Separation; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016260:Monocytes, Activated Killer / Q000276:immunology; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma