Expression of interleukin-21 and -23 in human esophageal tumors produced antitumor effects in nude mice.
Interleukin (IL)-21 induces proliferation of activated T and natural killer (NK) cells and enhances the lytic function of NK cells. IL-23, a heterodimer composed of p19 and p40 molecule, can also enhance T cell proliferation and interferon-gamma production from activated T cells; however, its effects on NK cells are currently unknown. We therefore examined whether human tumors expressing IL-21 or IL-23 could produce antitumor effects in inoculated nude mice. Esophageal tumor T.Tn cells were retrovirally transduced with the IL-21 gene (T.Tn/IL-21) or the p19-linked p40 genes (T.Tn/IL-23). The proliferation in vitro and the class I expression of the major histocompatibility complexes of these transduced cells were not different from those of parent cells. T.Tn/IL-21 and T.Tn/IL-23 cells developed small tumors in nude mice, but the tumors regressed spontaneously thereafter in contrast to parent tumors. Expressed IL-21 or IL-23 in human esophageal tumors can produce antitumor effects in a T cell-defective condition.
Shan
Baoen
B
Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, 666-2 Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan.
Yu
Ling
L
Shimozato
Osamu
O
Li
Qiaoxia
Q
Tagawa
Masatoshi
M
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053759:Interleukin-23; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008819:Mice, Nude; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D000098546:Interleukin-21
C508840:IL23A protein, human; C508841:Il23a protein, mouse; D053759:Interleukin-23; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19; D007378:Interleukins; D000098546:Interleukin-21