EFFECTS OF BACILLUS-CALMETTE-GUERIN AND INTERFERON-ALPHA-2B ON HUMAN BLADDER-CANCER IN-VITRO

The cytolytic and anti-proliferative effects of bacillus Calmette-Guer in (BCG) and/or interferon-alpha-2b (IFN-alpha-2b) on 5 human bladder carcinoma cell lines, RT4, RT112, MGH, SD and J82, were determined. Th e cell lines showed different sensitivities to BCC and IFN-alpha-2b. B CC had direct dose-dependent cytolytic and anti-proliferative effects on MGH, J82 and SD (grade 3 cell lines), whereas RT4 and RT112 (grades I and 2, respectively) were less sensitive, Surprisingly, higher conc entrations of BCG enhanced cell growth of RT4. IFN-alpha-2b also had c ytolytic and anti-proliferative effects on all 5 cell lines. Thus, the RT4 and RT112 cell lines that were not sensitive to BCG were highly s ensitive to IFN-alpha-2b, A combination of BCG and IFN-alpha-2b had ad ditive anti-proliferative effects on MGH, J82 and RT112. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production by thes e 5 cell lines was measured after stimulation with BCG and/or IFN-alph a-2b, by ELISA immunoassays. Production of IL-6 and TNF-alpha was sign ificantly increased in MGH and 182 cell lines by the combination of BC G and IFN alpha-2b. The enhanced cytolytic and anti-proliferative effe cts of the combination of BCC and IFN-alpha-2b may be related to the i nduction of cytokines. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.