IL-12 acid IL-2 potentiate the in vitro tumor-specific activity of peripheral blood cells from cervical cancer patients

We have carried out a detailed analysis of the cellular immune functions of cervical cancer patients in comparison with healthy controls. It has been observed that the freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC ) exhibit natural cytotoxicity (NC) against a number of targets including t umor cells, mainly delivered by NK cells, which are non-adoptive and MHC un restricted. Upon stimulation with cytokines like IL-2, IL-7, IL-12, IL-15 a nd interferons, PBMC acquire lymphokine activated killer (LAK) activity whi ch enables them to lyse a wide range of targets including fresh tumor cells and virally infected cells. We compared the effect of IL-2 and IL-12 on en hancement of NC of PBMC from cervical cancer patients. IL-12 stimulated cul tures (CD3+, CD56+) exhibited significant levels of tumoricidal activity. I L-2 stimulated lytic activity sustained even after 10 days while that of IL -12 stimulated cells declined after 6 days. Activation of PBMC was marked b y increase in the expression of activation marker CD45RO and adhesion molec ules LFA-1 alpha, ICAM-1 and CD44. Addition of IL-12 to IL-2 stimulated cul tures further enhanced the degree of lytic activity. Our data, thus, provid e an evidence that PBMC from cervical cancer patients can be stimulated in response to cytokines and local or systemic treatment with low doses of cyt okines may help to yield a better immune response against virus infected tu mor cells in cervical cancer.