Lymphokine activated killer cells and interleukin-2 production in patients with cervical carcinoma.

Lymphokine activated killer cells were generated from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in patients with cervical carcinoma. The cytotoxic potential of these cells was determined against three tumor cell lines (K-562, RAJI and MCF-7) using a short-term 51Cr-release assay. Both normals and patients showed comparable levels of LAK activity. Phenotypic analysis of cells having LAK activity showed a heterogeneous population. A significant increase in the expression of CD25 marker (IL-2R, Tac) of PBL population was observed after IL-2 culture. In addition, the indigenous ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce IL-2 in response to mitogen PHA was almost the same as observed in case of normal individuals.