Stimulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) antigen expression and shedding by interferon-gamma and phorbol ester in human renal carcinoma cell cultures: relation to peripheral blood mononuclear cell adhesion.

In the present study we investigated the effect of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and phorbol-12-myristate 13 acetate (PMA) on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) antigen expression and shedding in human renal carcinoma cell cultures. We also examined the functional consequences of ICAM-1 antigen expression and soluble ICAM-1 molecules on the adhesion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Incubation of the human renal carcinoma cell line CaKi-1 with IFN-gamma or PMA enhanced ICAM-1 antigen expression. The calcium ionophore, 4-bromo-calcium ionophore A23187 (Bromo-A23187) significantly enhanced the IFN-gamma and PMA effect. Soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) was detected in the supernatants of stimulated but not unstimulated cultures, and correlated significantly with cellular expression. Using 51Cr-labelled peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a cell adhesion assay, we demonstrated increased adhesion in IFN-gamma-treated CaKi-1 cultures, which was augmented by Bromo-A23187. This adhesion was blocked by preincubation of CaKi-1 cells with monoclonal antibody against ICAM-1 or by preincubation of PBMC with either monoclonal antibody against leucocyte function associated antigen-1 alpha (LFA-1 alpha), a major receptor for ICAM-1, supernatants from treated cultures or purified sICAM-1 molecules. Thus, shedding of ICAM-1 may play a role during the escape from immunosurveillance by renal carcinoma cells.