[Effects of interferons on syngeneic murine malignant glioma-specific killer T cell].

The effects of IFN (interferon) on the activation and differentiation of syngeneic murine malignant glioma-specific killer T cell were investigated in C57BL/6 adult mice in order to clarify the potential usefulness for anti-tumor local immunotherapy. It was confirmed that the specific killer T cell against 20-methylcholanthrene-induced 203-glioma was generated in mice after intracranial and subcutaneous inoculation of the tumor cells. The cytotoxic activities of splenic cells obtained from intracranial and subcutaneous tumor-bearing mice were assessed on MLTC (mixed lymphocyte-tumor cell culture) for 18 hours by microcytotoxicity assay modified Takasugi and Klein's method. The addition of IFN to MLTC resulted in a similar 1.5- to 2.0-fold increase of generated cytotoxic activities. Prior treatment of sensitized splenic cells with IFN resulted in an enhancement of the specific cytotoxic activity for the target tumor cells. IFN enhanced cytotoxic activities in MLTC only in the first 3 hours. These cytotoxic activities were eliminated by the treatment of sensitized lymphocytes with anti-Thy-1 antibody and complement before adding IFN. Therefore, it was found that IFN was able to enhance killer T cell activity of sensitized lymphocytes. Normal lymphocytes did not exhibit any cytotoxic activity even after the treatment with IFN. On the other hand, IFN had a cytostatic effect on the growth of 203-glioma cells. This effect of IFN on 203-glioma cells was not observed when IFN was removed from the suspension (by washing 203-glioma cells).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)