title: [Up-regulation of IFN-alpha on expression of MICA in the cervical carcinoma cell lines].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of IFN-alpha on expression of MHC class I chain-related protein A (MICA) in the cervical carcinoma cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cervical carcinoma cell lines (HeLa and Caski) were treated with IFN-alpha. The expression of MICA was measured by RT-PCR and by immunohistochemical staining. The cytotoxicity of human NK cells to the IFN-alpha treated cervical carcinoma cells was detected by MTT method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA and protein expression of MICA was up-regulated by IFN-alpha in HeLa and Caski cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. Compared to Caski cells which weakly expressed MICA, higher cytolytic activity of NK cells was found against HeLa cells, which expressed relatively higher level of MICA. After being treated with IFN-alpha for 3 d, the susceptibility of the two cervical carcinoma cells to NK cytolysis was increased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-alpha can up-regulate the MICA expression in the cervical carcinoma cell lines and thereby enhance the susceptibility to cytolysis of NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunity and Genetic Engineering of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory for Modern Medicine and Technology of Shandong Province, Jinan 250062, China.
authors.forename: Jia-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-qun
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wei-dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun-fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chun-yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C099187:MHC class I-related chain A; D012333:RNA, Messenger