Interferon gamma inhibits proliferation and hyaluronic acid adhesion of human malignant glioma cells in vitro

Malignant gliomas are frequent and the prognosis is poor. The cytokine inte rferon gamma (IFN-gamma) enhances several immune phenomena and mag be used in immunotherapy of tumours, Therefore we investigated the influence of IFN -gamma on human cell lines T98G, U87MG, 86HG39 and 85HG66, measuring cell v iability (MTT-test) and proliferation (H-3-thymidine uptake). IFN-gamma mar kedly decreased viability and proliferation of all investigated cell, lines . Expression of CD44 and adhesion to hyaluronic acid (HA) are involved in g lioma invasion. Influence of IFN-gamma on these two features has also been investigated. IFN-gamma markedly decreased HA-adhesion in all three investi gated cell lines, whereas CD44 expression remained uninfluenced. To summari se, IFN-gamma strongly decreased cell growth and HA-adhesion of malignant g lioma cell lines in vitro. We suggest further investigations to characteris e better the role of IFN-gamma as a treatment opportunity for malignant gli omas, (C) 1000 Academic Press.