Interleukins 2 and 12 produce recovery of cytotoxic function in tributyltin-exposed human natural killer cells.

Cytotoxic function of human natural killer (NK) cells is modulated by a variety of cytokines. Interleukins (IL) 2 and 12 are both potent stimulators of NK cell cytotoxic function. Tributyltin (TBT) is used in a variety of consumer products and industrial applications. TBT is found in dairy products, meat, and fish. We and others have shown that there are measurable levels of TBT in human blood. Butyltins appear to increase the risk of cancer and viral infections in exposed individuals. We have demonstrated that the ability of NK cells to kill tumor cells is greatly diminished after a l-h exposure to TBT and that this inhibition persists even after removal of the compound. In the current study we examine the effects of the NK-stimulatory ILs, IL2 and IL12, on the ability of NK cells to recover from the persistent inhibitory effects of a 1-h TBT treatment. Highly purified NK cells (> 95% CD16(+)) or a lymphocyte preparation containing both T lymphocytes and NK cells were treated with 300 nM TBT and then allowed to recover for 24 h, 48 h, 4 days, and 6 days in TBT-free media containing no interleukin, 1000 U/mL IL2, 20 ng/mL IL l2, or a combination of IL2 plus IL12. Tumor killing function was then tested using a radioactive chromium release assay. As seen in our previous studies there is no recovery of NK cell cytotoxic function even after a 6-day recovery period when no interleukin is present in the medium. However, there is significant recovery of NK cytotoxic function when IL2, IL12, or the combination of IL2 plus IL12 is present in the medium during the recovery period.