Protective effect of NK1.1(+) T cells as well as NK cells against intraperitoneal tumors in mice

Peritoneal resident cells of mice normally contain small populations of NK cells and NK1.1(+) alpha beta T cells. These populations increased after ei ther 3LL or EL4 tumor inoculations into the peritoneal cavity. In vivo depl etion of NK cell alone by anti-asialo GM1 (ASGM1) Ab significantly decrease d survival time of tumor-injected mice, while depletion of both NK cells an d NK1.1(+) T cells by anti-NE 1.1 Ab greatly shortened mouse survival time. NK1.1(+) T cells in peritoneal cavity consist of a larger proportion of do uble-negative T cells and smaller populations of CD4(+) T cells and V beta 8(+) T cells compared with liver NK1.1(+) T cells and normally lack V beta 2(+) T cells. Tumor inoculation induced rapid IL-12 and IFN-gamma mRNA in t umor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIM). Although anti-NK1 Ab pretreatmen t in vivo abrogated IFN-gamma mRNA expression and IFN-gamma production of T IM, NE cell depletion alone by anti-ASGM1 Ab pretreatment retained IFN-gamm a mRNA expression and partly inhibited IFN-gamma production of TIM. Periton eal NK cells as well as NK1.1(+) T cells but not NK1.1(-) T cells of 3LL ce ll- or EL4 cell-injected mice showed cytotoxicities against the same tumor cells. Further, either anti-IL-12 Ab or anti-IFN-gamma Ab, ip injection sig nificantly shortened EL4 cell-inoculated mouse survival time. Our findings suggest that peritoneal macrophages activated by tumors produce IL-12 which activates Mt cells and NK1.1(+) T cells to produce IFN-gamma and both NK c ells and NK1.1(+) T cells are important in suppressing the growth of the in traperitoneal tumors. (C) 1999 Academic Press.