Circulating LAK-1 Cells and Autologous Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) and phenotypical composition of circulating lymphocytes obtained from nine subjects with untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); three HCC patients locally treated by means of intraarterial chemoembolization; six subjects with gut-derived carcinoma (GDC); nine chronic active liver disease patients (CALD), and 14 normal controls have been evaluated, using monoclonal antibodies (MAB) against CD5, CD8, CD4 glycoproteins and anti-LAK-1 molecule, a novel 120-KD surface antigen that is present on the membrane of large granular lymphocytes, by means of classical indirect immunofluorescence technique. Autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction was significantly reduced in all patients, along with CD4-positive cells that are the responder cells in this reaction. A relative increase in the percentage of LAK cells was also observed in neoplastic patients with a normalization after local treatment of the HCC. In the light of promising results obtained by Rosenberg et al. by adoptive transfer of LAK cells activated with Interleukin-2 (IL2) in various cancers, our results support a similar therapeutic trial in HCC patients.