Human interleukin for DA cells/leukemia inhibitory factor and oncostatin M enhance membrane expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 on melanoma cells but not the shedding of its soluble form.

ICAM-1-mediated cell-cell adhesion is essential for different immunologic functions including non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity. The shedding of a soluble form of ICAM-1 from melanoma impairs immune recognition and leads to tumour escape. Pretreatment of the Foss human melanoma cell line with HILDA/LIF or OSM, two cytokines involved in acute-phase response, increased the expression of membrane ICAM-1 twofold without inducing sICAM-1 shedding. Conversely, TNF-alpha, in the same conditions, strongly stimulated membrane ICAM-1 expression and the shedding of the soluble form. The same phenomenon was observed on the A375 human melanoma cell line. ICAM-1 upregulation was concomitant with an increase in the non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity of tumour cells mediated by LAK cell.s This higher sensitivity to LAK lysis was abolished by RR1/1, a specific monoclonal antibody against ICAM-1. Our results demonstrate for the first time the ability of HILDA/LIF and OSM to upregulate ICAM-1 expression on the melanoma cell surface, suggesting a potential role for these cytokines in human immune surveillance during tumour progression.