LYMPHOKINE-ACTIVATED KILLER-CELL FUNCTION OF PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS, SPLEEN-CELLS AND REGIONAL LYMPH-NODE CELLS IN GASTRIC-CANCER PATIENTS

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells generated by culture of periph eral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), spleen cells (SPC) and regional l ymph node cells (LNC) with IL-2 for 4 days were examined for their fun ctional capabilities in 29 patients with gastric carcinoma. The cytoto xic activity of LAK cells induced from LNC was significantly lower tha n that from either PBMC or SPC, although there was no difference betwe en PBMC or SPC. The induction of mRNA of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and the production of thes e cytokines in the non-adherent LAK cells from LNC were also significa ntly reduced compared with those from PBMC or SPC. Further, the LAK ce lls from LNC secreted significantly lower levels of these cytokines wh en stimulated with tumour target, Raji cells, although the production of these cytokines was markedly increased by stimulation with the targ ets in all three cell populations. Phenotypic analysis of each cell po pulation revealed a decreased proportion of the cells mediating natura l killer (NK) activity, including CD16(+), CD56(+), and CD57(+) cells in LNC either before or after culture, although OKIal(+) and CD25(+) c ells were uniformly increased in all cell populations after culture. C hanges in subpopulations of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in LNC were not ap parently different from PBMC or SPC. These results indicated the diffe rential reactivity of each lymphocyte population to IL-2 and the reduc ed LAK cell function of LNC compared with PBMC or SPC in patients with gastric carcinoma.