LYMPHOKINE-ACTIVATED KILLER-CELL FUNCTION OF LYMPHOCYTES FROM REGIONAL LYMPH-NODES IN PATIENTS WITH GASTRIC-CARCINOMA

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells generated by culture of region al lymph node cells (LNC) with interleukin 2 (IL 2) for 4 and 11 days were examined for their functional capabilities in comparison with tho se of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) in 25 patients with gas tric carcinoma. The cytotoxic activity of LAK cells induced from LNC f or 4-day culture with IL 2 was significantly lower than that from PBM. However, the LNC-LAK cytotoxicity was markedly increased up to almost the same level as that of PBM after I I-day culture. The production o f interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-al pha) from nonadherent LAK cells in LNC was also significantly reduced as compared to that from PBM 4 days after culture, when stimulated wit h or without tumor target, Raji cells. After ii-day culture with IL 2, however, the levels of these cytokines produced by LNC-LAK cells eith er with or without stimulation by tumor target were comparable to thos e by PBM-LAK cells, although the release of these cytokines was marked ly reduced when compared to that after 4-day culture. Phenotypic analy sis revealed decreased proportion of cells mediating NK activity in LN C before and 4 days after culture. CD56(+) and CD57(+) cells in LNC we re increased after ii-day culture, although the percentages of these c ells were still low as compared to those in PBM. The proportions of OK Ia1(+) and CD25(+) cells were uniformly increased after 4 and 11-day c ulture in both cell populations. Changes in subpopulations of CD4(+) a nd CD8(+) cells in LNC were not apparently different from PBM. These r esults indicated the differential LAK cell function of cells from regi onal lymph nodes from PBM in patients with gastric carcinoma. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.