Activation of killer cells from blood of urinary bladder carcinoma patients by short-term treatment with recombinant interleukin 2.

Highly purified recombinant human interleukin 2 induced cytotoxicity of lymphocytes from urinary bladder carcinoma patients and from control healthy donors when added during an 18-h 51Cr microcytotoxicity assay against bladder carcinoma (T24) target cells. Similar levels of killer cell activation were detected in mononuclear cell preparations from bladder carcinoma patients and control healthy donors; hence, no defect in the responsiveness of bladder carcinoma patients' lymphocytes to interleukin 2 could be observed. The effect of the recombinant interleukin 2 was dose-dependent. Addition of monoclonal antibody 7E9 directed against cell-type restricted antigen associated with the T24 target cells and capable of inducing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity could not increase the cytotoxicity-inducing effects of interleukin 2.