Lysis of small cell carcinoma of the lung tumor cell lines by gamma interferon-activated allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells: abrogation of killing by pretreatment of tumor cells with gamma interferon.

Interferon has been shown to enhance the ability of nonspecific cytotoxic mononuclear cells to lyse some, but not all, tumor cells. We have examined the effect of recombinant human gamma interferon (rIFN gamma) on the cell-mediated cytolysis of tumor target cells derived from continuously cultured lines of small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCCL). Cells from the SCCL lines DMS 44, 53, 79, 92, and 406 were labeled with 51Cr and incubated with normal and rIFN gamma-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells for 18 h at 37 degrees C and tumor cell lysis estimated by measuring 51Cr release. Although cells from certain SCCL lines were good targets for cell mediated cytotoxicity, susceptibility to lysis was heterogeneous among the different SCCL lines. DMS 406 and 79 were, on average, maximally lysed, while DMS 44, 53, and 92 showed less susceptibility to lysis by either control or rIFN gamma-stimulated effector cells. In addition, although pretreatment with rIFN gamma increased the cytolytic capacity of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells from several different donors, preincubation of the tumor cell lines with rIFN gamma resulted in inhibition of cytolysis mediated by both control and IFN-activated effector cells. These findings suggest that although rIFN gamma may enhance cell-mediated lysis of SCCL tumor cells, it may also decrease susceptibility to lysis.