Role of fibrin coagulation in protection of murine tumor cells from destruction by cytotoxic cells

We have previously proposed that fibrin deposition on tumor cells during their migration in the blood could protect them from elimination by natural killer (NK) or other cytotoxic cells. Anticoagulant drugs could prevent fibrin coagulation and increase the efficiency of cytotoxic effector cells in tumor cell elimination. To further investigate the protective roles of fibrin, we studied in vitro the susceptibility of various murine tumor cells to the cytotoxic activity of NK or lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells in the presence of murine plasma or serum. In the first set of experiments, tumor cells were incubated with plasma (at dilutions of 1:20-1:160) for 30 min before effector cells were added. Similarly, effector cells were first incubated with plasma before mixing with radiolabeled target cells for cytotoxicity assay. In some experiments target and effector cells and plasma were mixed simultaneously. The cytotoxic activity of both NK and LAK cells was inhibited if coagulation occurred around tumor-target or effector cells. Tumor cells were also protected when both target and effector cells were simultaneously mixed and trapped in the fibrin clot. Inhibition of the cytotoxic activity of effector cells against tumor cells was positively correlated with the level of fibrin clot formation. When the larger clot was formed and more radiolabeled tumor cells were trapped in the clot, the higher level of inhibition of cytotoxicity was observed. In contrast, serum did not affect the cytotoxic activity of NK or LAK cells. To exclude possible non-coagulation-related effects of plasma on LAK cells, a cytotoxicity series of experiments was performed using purified fibrinogen and thrombin. When fibrinogen and thrombin were preincubated with tumor cells or LAK cells or all components were admixed simultaneously, substantial protection of tumor cells from destruction by LAK cells was also observed. However, when heparin was added, fibrin coagulation was prevented and cytotoxic activity of LAK cells was restored. Inhibition of LAK cytotoxicity and protection of tumor cells by fibrin coagulation were mostly due to the prevention of tumor-effector cell conjugate formation. Adding plasma at postbinding time periods (15-30 min after mixing effector and target cells) did not affect the ability of LAK cells to kill tumor cells confirming that fibrin coagulation influenced the binding rather than the lytic phase of cytotoxic cell activity.     

Adhesion Molecules on Murine Lymphokine-activated Killer Cells Responsible for Target Cell Killing: A Role of CD2

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were induced from C57BL/6 mouse spleen cells and the effects of culture time on the expression of cell surface phenotypes and cytotoxic activity of LAK cells were determined. The expression of CD2 remarkably decreased after culture of LAK cells for 30 days, while LFA-1, a principal adhesion molecule in LAK cells, and CD3 were not changed by the culture. LAK cells cultured for 90 days completely lost CD2. In accordance with the decrease of CD2, the cytotoxic activity of LAK cells declined but a certain leven was retained even after the complete loss of CD2. The established LAK cell clones were also strongly positive for the expression of LFA-1 but negative for CD2. When the LAK cell clones were transfected with the CD2 cDNA, they started to express CD2 on their cell surface and to show greater binding ability and stronger cytotoxicity to target tumor cells. These results indicated that CD2 plays a role as an adhesion molecule responsible for target cell killing in murine LAK cells.     

Adhesion molecules on murine lymphokine-activated killer cells responsible for target cell killing: a role of CD2.

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were induced from C57BL/6 mouse spleen cells and the effects of culture time on the expression of cell surface phenotypes and cytotoxic activity of LAK cells were determined. The expression of CD2 remarkably decreased after culture of LAK cells for 30 days, while LFA-1, a principal adhesion molecule in LAK cells, and CD3 were not changed by the culture. LAK cells cultured for 90 days completely lost CD2. In accordance with the decrease of CD2, the cytotoxic activity of LAK cells declined but a certain leven was retained even after the complete loss of CD2. The established LAK cell clones were also strongly positive for the expression of LFA-1 but negative for CD2. When the LAK cell clones were transfected with the CD2 cDNA, they started to express CD2 on their cell surface and to show greater binding ability and stronger cytotoxicity to target tumor cells. These results indicated that CD2 plays a role as an adhesion molecule responsible for target cell killing in murine LAK cells.     

Phenotypical analysis of effector cells on nonspecific cancer cell therapy

In the present study, we examined the contributions of lymphocyte subpopulations in lymphokine activated killer (LAK) activity. LAK cells prepared from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy donors showed highly cytotoxic activities against target tumor cells. When CD16 and CD56 positive cells in LAK cells were depleted by magnetic cell sorting, their cytotoxic activities were dramatically decreased. In contrast, little change was observed by the depletion of CD3 positive cells, suggesting that CD16 and/or CD56 positive populations, but not CD3 positive populations, including natural killer (NK) cells are the major cell types involved in LAK activity. Indeed, NK-enriched LAK cells prepared by culturing PBMC with IL-2 and OK-432 showed a more potent LAK activity than conventional LAK cells and CD3-activated T cells. These results suggest that selective expansion and activation of CD16 and CD56 positive cells in LAK cells is a useful strategies to improve their anti-tumor potential in nonspecific immunotherapy, and possibly in combination therapy with other target immunotherapies as well.     

Inhibition of lymphokine-activated killer cells generation in vitro by soluble factors released from mixed human tumor and peripheral blood mononuclear adherent cells culture

Background: A variety of molecules produced by both tumor cells and normal cells reduce the activity of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. We tested the possible cross-regulation of mel-624 melanoma cells and adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in affecting LAK cell activity. Methods: PBMC adherent cells were cultured together with mel-624 melanoma cells. Supernatant was transferred to a 4-day LAK cells generation culture consisted of PBMC nonadherent cells and interleukin-2. LAK cytotoxic activity was tested in a 4-hour assay against Daudi tumor cells prelabeled with sodium ⁵¹chromate. Results: The supernatant produced within the first 48 hours of mixed mel-624 melanoma cell and adherent PBMC culture substantially (by 69 percent) reduced the generation of LAK cells, whereas the supernatant from either tumor culture or adherent PBMC culture had no effect. The inhibitory effect was manifested on the generation of LAK cells when autologous nonadherent cells were cultured with 1,000 units/ml IL-2, but there was no effect on mature LAK cell cytotoxic activity. Inhibition of LAK cell generation was partially dependent on protein synthesis and was not mediated by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Conclusion: Our results point toward the production of soluble, yet unidentified proteins, in mixed tumor-adherent PBMC cultures, which substantially reduced the induction of LAK cells in culture.     

The heterogeneity of target recognition by lymphokine-activated killer precursor cells

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were generated from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) that were depleted of mature cytotoxic natural killer (NK) cells. PBL NK activity was abolished by pretreatment of effector cells with the toxic lysosomotropic agent L-leucine methyl ester (LME) or by depletion of effector cells by K562 monolayer absorption (MA). Both treatments markedly reduced the proportion of cells expressing NK-associated markers such as CD 16 (Leu 11b, B73.1), Leu 7, and NKH-1 (Leu 19), whereas these treatments had minimal effects on cells expressing T cell markers (CD 3, CD 4, and CD 8). LME and MA also drastically decreased the proportion of K562 target-binding lymphocytes. LAK activity against NK-sensitive and NK-resistant targets can be generated from the NK cell-depleted PBL by incubation with interleukin-2. Peak LAK activity generated from MA-treated PBL was later than the peak of LAK activity generated from either untreated or LME-treated PBL. Although MA of PBL on NK-resistant S4 sarcoma targets had little effect on NK activity, LAK activity against both K562 and S4 targets was reduced. These results suggest that there are at least three LAK precursor subpopulations in PBL: mature NK cells that can bind and kill K562 targets (LME-sensitive and MA-sensitive); "pre-NK" cells that can bind but cannot kill (LME-resistant and MA-sensitive); and non-NK cells that cannot bind and cannot kill K562 targets (MA-resistant).     

The Heterogeneity of Target Recognition by Lymphokine-activated Killer Precursor Cells

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were generated from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) that were depleted of mature cytotoxic natural killer (NK) cells. PBL NK activity was abolished by pretreatment of effector cells with the toxic lysosomotropic agent l -leucine methyl ester (LME) or by depletion of effector cells by K562 monolayer absorption (MA). Both treatments markedly reduced the proportion of cells expressing NK-associated markers such as CD 16 (Leu 11b, B73.1), Leu 7, and NKH-1 (Leu 19), whereas these treatments had minimal effects on cells expressing T cell markers (CD 3, CD 4, and CD 8). LME and MA also drastically decreased the proportion of K562 target-binding lymphocytes. LAK activity against NK-sensitive and NK-resistant targets can be generated from the NK cell-depleted PBL by incubation with interleukin-2. Peak LAK activity generated from MA-treated PBL was later than the peak of LAK activity generated from either untreated or LME-treated PBL. Although MA of PBL on NK-resistant S4 sarcoma targets had little effect on NK activity, LAK activity against both K562 and S4 targets was reduced. These results suggest that there are at least three LAK precursor subpopulations in PBL: mature NK cells that can bind and kill K562 targets (LME-sensitive and MA-sensitive); "pre-NK"cells that can bind but cannot kill (LME-resistant and MA-sensitive); and non-NK cells that cannot bind and cannot kill K562 targets (MA-resistant).     

Killing of alveolar macrophages and of monocytes that have responded to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor by human lymphokine-activated killer cells

The susceptibilities of human blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages (AM) to cytotoxicity mediated by lymphokine (IL-2)-activated killer (LAK) cells were examined. Monocytes and AM of healthy donors were obtained by counter-flow centrifugal elutriation (CCE) and bronchoalveolar lavage, respectively. The LAK activity induced by incubation of blood mononuclear cells (MNC) for 4 days with recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) was measured by a 4-h 51Cr release assay. The LAK cells were not cytotoxic to freshly isolated monocytes, but were cytotoxic to autologous fresh AM and monocytes that had been incubated for more than 4 days in medium alone. Blood monocytes that had been incubated for 4 days in medium with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) or interleukin 3(IL-3) were much more susceptible than untreated monocytes to the cytotoxicity of LAK cells. When blood monocytes were separated by CCE into subpopulations of three sizes (small, medium and large), the medium- and large-sized monocytes showed greater responses to GM-CSF in terms of DNA synthesis and colony formation than the small-sized cells. After treatment with GM-CSF for 4 days, these medium and large monocytes were more susceptible than the small monocytes to the cytotoxic action of LAK cells. These results suggest that LAK cells may be important in situ in down-regulating the functions of mature macrophages and blood monocytes that have responded to GM-CSF.     

Isolation and characterization of cytotoxic granules from human lymphokine (interleukin 2) activated killer cells

Cytotoxic granules were isolated from human lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and analyzed for their biochemical properties. Isolated granules of approximately 85-95% purity were obtained by differential centrifugation followed by discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation. The murine lymphocyte granule marker N-alpha-carbamazepine-L-lysine thiobenzyl ester-esterase as well as cytotoxic activity toward the human tumor cell lines K562, Raji, Daudi, and CEM were associated with LAK granule fractions. Granule-associated N-alpha-carbamazepine-L-lysine thiobenzyl ester-esterase activity increased in recombinant interleukin 2 expanded human LAK cells in parallel with cytotoxic activity for Raji tumor cell targets. Cytotoxic LAK cell granules mediated calcium-dependent killing of the tumor cell lines K562, Raji, Daudi, and CEM. However, no calcium-dependent hemolytic activity was found. Preincubation of human granules with calcium, a treatment which totally inactivates the hemolytic and cytotoxic activity of murine lymphocyte granules [perforin 1 (P1)] had no effect on human LAK granule cytotoxicity for nucleated cells. Human LAK granules appear to contain P1 detected as cross-reactive antigen detected by mouse anti-P1 and human anti-C9 in Western blot analysis. In addition, Northern blot analysis of polyadenylated RNA isolated from human LAK cells using a murine P1 complementary DNA probe showed a cross-hybridizing 2.8- to 3.0-kilobase mRNA species identical in size to murine P1 mRNA. These results demonstrate that despite similar biochemical composition, functional differences exist between human and murine cytotoxic granules. Human LAK granules were synthesized in response to recombinant interleukin 2 activation and appeared in parallel with cytotoxicity for tumor targets, suggesting an important role for LAK granules in tumor cell cytotoxicity by human LAK cells.     

Enhancement of Therapeutic Effect of Interleukin-2 on Spontaneous Pulmonary Metastases of Lewis Lung Carcinoma by Killer Helper Factor Associated with Increased Induction of Killer Activity

Killer helper factor (KHF) was previously found to be produced by a human T cell hybridoma, 24A CA2. We studied the therapeutic effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and KHF on the inhibition of pulmonary mctastascs of syngeneic Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) in C57BL/6N mice. Multiple subcutaneous (sc) injections of IL-2 plus KHF had significantly more effect than injections of IL-2 alone in inhibiting spontaneous pulmonary mctastascs and prolonging survival of the mice. The effect of KHF with IL-2 on induction of lymphokine(IL-2)-activated killer (LAK) activity against P-29 cells was examined in the murine system. Spleen cells generated LAK activity after incubation for 4 days with more than 500 U/ml of IL-2. In contrast, KHF alone did not render spleen cells cytotoxic. The combination of these lymphokines at subthreshold concentrations, however, resulted in significant in vitro induction of LAK activity. The LAK activity of splenocytes incubated with IL-2 plus KHF was maximal after 4 days, and persisted for longer than that of cells treated with IL-2 alone. The LAK cells induced by KHF plus IL-2 were also cytotoxic to FBL and YAC-1 cells. Moreover, spleen cells of mice bearing lung metastases could be induced to the cytotoxic state by sc injections of IL-2 plus KHF. These results indicate that combination treatment with IL-2 and the new lymphokine KHF should he useful clinically in inducing LAK activity for inhibition of pulmonary metastases.     

Killing of Alveolar Macrophages and of Monocytes that Have Responded to Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor by Human Lymphokine-activated Killer Cells

The susceptibilities of human blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages (AM) to cytotoxicity mediated by lymphokine (IL-l)-activated killer (LAK) cells were examined. Monocytes and AM of healthy donors were obtained by counter-flow centrifugal elutriation (CCE) and bronclioalvcolar lavage, respectively. The LAK activity induced by incubation of blood mononuclear cells (MNC) for 4 days with recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) was measured by a 4-h ⁵¹Cr release assay. The LAK cells were not cytotoxic to freshly isolated monocytes, but were cytotoxic to autologous fresh AM and monocytes that had been incubated for more than 4 days in medium alone. Blood monocytes that had been incubated for 4- days in medium with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) or interleukin 3 (IL-3) were much more susceptible than untreated monocytes to the cytotoxicity of LAK cells. When blood monocytes were separated by CCE into subpopulations of three sizes (small, medium and large), the medium- and large-sized monocytes showed greater responses to GM-CSF in terms of DNA synthesis and colony formation than the small-sized cells. After treatment with GM-CSF for 4 days, these medium and large monocytes were more susceptible than the small monocytes to the cytotoxic action of LAK cells. These results suggest that LAK cells may be important in situ in down-regulating the functions of mature macrophages and blood monocytes that have responded to GM-CSF.     

Enhancement of therapeutic effect of interleukin-2 on spontaneous pulmonary metastases of Lewis lung carcinoma by killer helper factor associated with increased induction of killer activity

Killer helper factor (KHF) was previously found to be produced by a human T cell hybridoma, 24A . CA2. We studied the therapeutic effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and KHF on the inhibition of pulmonary metastases of syngeneic Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) in C57BL/6N mice. Multiple subcutaneous (sc) injections of IL-2 plus KHF had significantly more effect than injections of IL-2 alone in inhibiting spontaneous pulmonary metastases and prolonging survival of the mice. The effect of KHF with IL-2 on induction of lymphokine (IL-2)-activated killer (LAK) activity against P-29 cells was examined in the murine system. Spleen cells generated LAK activity after incubation for 4 days with more than 500 U/ml of IL-2. In contrast, KHF alone did not render spleen cells cytotoxic. The combination of these lymphokines at subthreshold concentrations, however, resulted in significant in vitro induction of LAK activity. The LAK activity of splenocytes incubated with IL-2 plus KHF was maximal after 4 days, and persisted for longer than that of cells treated with IL-2 alone. The LAK cells induced by KHF plus IL-2 were also cytotoxic to FBL and YAC-1 cells. Moreover, spleen cells of mice bearing lung metastases could be induced to the cytotoxic state by sc injections of IL-2 plus KHF. These results indicate that combination treatment with IL-2 and the new lymphokine KHF should be useful clinically in inducing LAK activity for inhibition of pulmonary metastases.     

Cytotoxic Activity of Various LAK Cells against Autologous Lung Cancer, K-562 and Daudi Cells

Comparative cytotoxic activity and specificity studies of lymphokineactivated killer (LAK) cells from different sources and preparationswere carried out. Cytotoxic studies of lymphocytes from regionallymph nodes (Rn-LAK), peripheral blood (Pb-LAK) and those stimulatedby autologous tumor cells and then activated by recombinantinterleukine 2 (St-LAK) against autologous lung cancer cells,were conducted using the ⁵¹Cr-releasing test. The cytotoxicactivities of these three LAK cells against autologous fibroblasts,allogeneic tumor cells, K-562 and Daudi cells were also compared.A time course experiment disclosed that the cytotoxic activityof Pb-LAK cells against autologous tumor cells reached a maximumon day 3 and declined shortly after the peak while that of Rn-LAKcells gradually increased to a maximum on day 7 and remainedat a high titer for at least two weeks. The cytotoxic activityof Rn-LAK cells was significantly higher than that of Pb-LAKcells in seven out of 10 individual experiemnts and that ofstimulated LAK (St LAK) cells was higher than the cytotoxicactivities of the other LAK cells in eight out of nine experiments.A specificity study showed that Rn-LAK cells possessed a highercytotoxic activi ty against autologous tumor cells and a lowercytotoxic activity against autologous fibroblasts and allogeneictumor cells than Pb-LAK cells. A comparative study of cytotoxicactivities against K-562, Daudi cells and autologous tumor cellsbetween St- and Rn-LAK cells demonstrated that although therewas no difference in natural killer activity, cytotoxic activityagainst autologous tumor cells as well as the LAK activity ofSt-LAK cells were higher than that of Rn-LAK cells. These resultsindicate that the activities and specificities of LAK cellsdiffer according to their source and preparation.     

Cytotoxic in vitro function in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma before and after alpha-2b-interferon therapy. Effects of activation with recombinant interleukin-2.

In this study the characteristics of the cytotoxic function in a series of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were analyzed and the possibility of modulating this capacity in vitro with the use of biologic response modifiers (BMR) such as alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) and recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) was verified, with the ultimate goal of providing a rationale for a therapeutic approach to this disease with these molecules. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with advanced RCC were tested for natural killer (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity both before and after alpha-IFN therapy. In addition, surface markers of unstimulated and stimulated cells were analyzed and in vitro assays were performed to determine the proliferative capacity in response to the stimulus with rIL-2. During an evaluation before treatment, defective NK activity was observed that could be corrected by incubating the cells with rIL-2. In these subjects, LAK cells could be consistently generated after PBMC were activated with this cytokine in vitro. No changes in NK and LAK activity were found after alpha-IFN therapy. In contrast, treatment with alpha-IFN affected the proliferative response of PBMC to rIL-2, and a significant decrease in this in vitro capacity was observed during follow-up. The ability to restore NK activity and obtain an adequate LAK cytotoxicity from the PBMC of patients with RCC supports a therapeutic approach with BRM. However, the fact that this type of treatment affects the proliferative response of PBMC to rIL-2 must be considered when clinical trials are designed for patients with RCC.     

Decreased susceptibility of lined human gliosarcoma cells to lymphokine-activated killer cell cytolysis by gamma-interferon treatment

The susceptibility of the established cultured gliosarcoma line GI-1 to lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells was analyzed with and without interferon (IFN)-gamma treatment of target GI-1 cells. IFN-gamma treatment decreased the susceptibility of GI-1 cells to LAK cell cytolysis in a dose-dependent manner. Acid treatment of GI-1 cells increased their susceptibility to cytolysis compared with untreated cells. IFN-gamma treatment and acid treatment of GI-1 cells respectively increased and decreased the expression of class I HLA antigens on GI-1 cells. The susceptibility of GI-1 cells to LAK cell cytolysis and their expression of HLA class I molecules were inversely correlated. Subpopulation depletion experiments on the LAK cells with monoclonal antibodies and complement revealed that phenotypically natural killer type (CD16+) cells had a high cytotoxic activity against untreated GI-1 cells but a relatively low activity against IFN-gamma-treated GI-1 cells in both the precursor and effector phases. On the other hand, phenotypically T-type (CD3+) cells did not show these tendencies at all in both the precursor and the effector phases.     

LAK1 antigen defines two distinct subsets among human tumour infiltrating lymphocytes.

Both lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells and specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes appear to play a role in tumour immunity. Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) which display a CD56+ phenotype (both CD3+ and CD3-) are also likely to possess anti-tumour activity. We have previously described a 120 kDa surface antigen, termed LAK1, expressed on a subset of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (20-50%) with both NK and LAK activity. The aim of the present study was to determine whether LAK1 antigen is able to distinguish among TIL two populations of effector cells displaying either specific or non MHC-restricted (NK/LAK) activity. We showed that about 25% of freshly derived TIL were weakly stained with anti-LAK1 monoclonal antibody and most of them were also CD3+ CD56-. After culture in recombinant interleukin-2 the majority of TIL were CD3+ CD56- and the percentage of LAK1+ cells increased up to 50%. Among cloned TIL, only those lacking LAK1 antigen displayed a specific cytotoxicity against the autologous tumour, whereas the non-lytic clones were able to produce both tumour necrosis factor and gamma-interferon. Moreover, when TIL from a renal cell carcinoma were fractionated into LAK1- and LAK1+ populations, the specific lytic activity was mainly evident when LAK1- lymphocytes were used as effector cells. Conversely, LAK activity was confined to the LAK1+ subset.     

Immunosuppressive Effect of Shedding Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 Antigen on Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity against Tumor Cells

We have examined whether shedding intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) antigen from cultured tumors is able to inhibit the leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1)/ICAM-1 interaction between cytotoxic effector cells and ICAM-1⁺ target tumor cells. The cytotoxic activity of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells incubated with spent media from ICAM-1⁺ tumor cells, especially interferon-γ-stimulated tumor cells, was significantly decreased as compared with that of LAK cells treated with fresh culture medium without ICAM-1 antigen. Treatment of LAK cells with spent media from ICAM-1⁻ tumor cells did not cause a significant decrease of the cytolytic activity towards ICAM-1⁺ tumor cells. These findings suggest that shedding of ICAM-1 antigen could be involved in binding of LFA-1 to LAK cells, resulting in reduced cytolytic activity.     

Augmentation of lymphokine-activated killer cell cytotoxicity by monoclonal antibodies against human small cell lung carcinoma

This study examined the lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell cytotoxicity on monoclonal antibody (MoAb)-bound tumor cells from the human small cell lung carcinoma cell lines H69 and H128. LAK cells were generated from normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells by incubation with interleukin 2 for 3 or more days. Cells from the LAK culture were cytotoxic to natural killer-sensitive (K562, 84% cytotoxicity) and natural killer-resistant (Daudi, 85%; H69 and H128, 69% and 97%, respectively) cell lines, and to freshly excised human lung (49%) and breast (57%) tumors. LAK cytotoxicity to H69 or H128 cells was significantly augmented by target cell preincubation with the small cell lung carcinoma-reactive MoAbs 1096 (increases of up to 271%) or 5023 (up to 223%). SCLC 5023 or 1096 did not enhance LAK cytotoxicity to Daudi cells of lymphoblastoid origin. Pretreatment of LAK cells with an anti-Fc receptor antibody blocked MoAb augmentation by 1096 or 5023 (but not LAK cytotoxicity), suggesting that LAK-MoAb interaction may be mediated by Fc binding. LAK activity coincided with emergence of a large cell [interleukin 2-stimulated large mononuclear leukocyte (LML)] subset expressing the CD16 and NKH-1 surface determinants. Serial immunophenotyping of the LAK cell culture harvested at Days 3, 5, and 7 indicated that the level of LAK cytotoxicity, with or without MoAb augmentation, correlated with frequency of NKH-1-reactive LMLs. These observations support the hypothesis that LAK cytotoxicity is mediated by a NKH-1-reactive LML subpopulation. Antitumor cytotoxicity may be augmented by tumor-reactive MoAbs through Fc binding to this LML subset.     

Target lysis by human LAK cells is critically dependent upon target binding properties, but LFA-1, LFA-3 and ICAM-1 are not the major adhesion ligands on targets.

The cytotoxicity mediated by the CD2+ CD3- lymphocyte subset, either NK or LAK, is puzzling since no specific antigen recognition structures, equivalent to the CD3-associated heterodimer T-cell receptor, have been recognized on these cells so far. The possibility exists that the CD3- cytotoxic effectors recognize their targets through non-specific adhesion mechanisms. The goal of this study was: (a) to examine the correlation between binding properties and susceptibility to lysis of 6 informative target cell lines; (b) to evaluate the role, as ligands on these targets, of adhesion molecules such as LFA-1, LFA-3 and ICAM-1. The effectors used in this study were IL-2-activated LGL, predominantly CD3-, or highly purified CD3- lymphocytes from normal human donors. The 6 target lines studied included 2 pairs of EBV-transformed B-cell lines (721 LCL vs. 721.134, and MM vs. MM-10F2) in which the parental lines were resistant to lysis while HLA variants were susceptible. A third pair was the Daudi Burkitt cell line, susceptible to LAK lysis, and an HLA-positive transfected Daudi line which was more resistant to lysis. The binding properties of these targets to LAK effectors (conjugate formation) were evaluated using a sensitive double fluorescence flow cytometry method. In each pair examined, the susceptible targets formed more conjugates and were surrounded by more cytotoxic LAK effectors than their resistant counterparts, indicating that the conjugation properties of targets are closely correlated with their susceptibility to LAK lysis. The expression of adhesion molecules on the informative targets was examined by indirect immunofluorescence and their role was evaluated by inhibition of lysis after pre-coating the targets with the relevant antibodies. The differences in the expression of the classical cell-cell adhesion molecules LFA-1, LFA-3 and ICAM-1 on the target surfaces were only marginal, insufficient to explain the striking differences in susceptibility to lysis and in binding properties. Coating the target cells with antibodies directed against these adhesion determinants had no effects on the lysis of susceptible target cells. The same antibodies reacting with the LAK effectors did inhibit lysis. Taken together, these results suggest that, on the targets, presently undefined membrane adhesion structures may have a major role in conjugate formation between target and CD3- effectors and determine the susceptibility of the targets to lysis.     

The cytotoxic action of lymphokine activated killer cells upon the human glioma cell line U251 is stimulated by bispecific monoclonal antibody (MoAb) constructs

The ability of IL-2 stimulated mononuclear cells to kill the human glioblastoma cell line U251 has been investigated. Highest cytotoxic activity was generated in low cell density cultures incubated for 15 days with 250–1000 U/ml IL-2. Sub-optimal killing was noted, with cells only exposed to IL-2 for three days. Under the latter conditions, bispecific monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) of either anti-CD3 or anti-CD16 and an anti-NCAM MoAb stimulated LAK cell activity markedly. Anti-CD16 conjugates were found more effective than anti-CD3 and (Fab)₂ constructs more efficacious than those made with whole Ig molecules. Maximal stimulation of LAK cell activity was noted with bispecific MoAbs. Little effect was observed with either single or mixtures of monomeric MoAbs. Furthermore, no effect of bispecific MoAbs was observed when target cells lacked expression of NCAM. These results could be of clinical importance as it is not always feasible to screen LAK cells for optimal activity before administration to patients. Whilst bispecific MoAbs have no effect on optimally stimulated LAK cells, they are not inhibitory and can stimulate killing under sub-optimal IL-2 stimulation.