INTERLEUKIN-8 PARTICIPATES IN ANGIOGENESIS IN NONSMALL CELL, BUT NOT SMALL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG

We examined interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in 17 lung cancer cell lin es, IL-8 expression in tumor specimens and IL-8's contribution to tumo r-induced angiogenesis in vivo. Eight of 13 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines constitutively produced high levels of IL-8. Four small ce ll lung cancer cell lines produced little or no IL-8. Immunohistochemi cal analysis of transbronchial biopsy specimens revealed IL-X staining within adenocarcinomas (22/32), squamous cell carcinomas (12/21) and large cell carcinomas (2/3), but not within most small cell carcinomas (1/22). Anti-IL-8 antisera blocked tumor angiogenesis by two IL-g pro ducing cell lines in a mouse model. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.