Interleukins 2 and 12 activate natural killer cytolytic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the capacity of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) to modulate the cytolytic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells against squamous cell carcinoma, and to determine whether peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors respond differently to IL-12 than do peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

DESIGN

Case-comparison study of a consecutive sample of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who were scheduled to undergo surgical excision.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 10 patients with stage III or IV carcinoma matched with 10 volunteer blood donors.

INTERVENTION

Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients and volunteers were treated with IL-2, 10 U/mL and 100 U/mL; IL-12, 1 U/mL or 10 U/mL; or a combination of IL-2 and IL-12.

RESULTS

The combination of IL-2 and IL-12 consistently produced the greatest activation cytolysis than either cytokine alone at all concentrations tested. This increased activity against a squamous cell carcinoma cell line was seen in lymphocytes from volunteers and patients.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest a new treatment regimen for the patient with head and neck cancer that uses immunomodulation with a combination of cytokines.