By flow cytometry, a panel of 18 primary glioma cell explants exhibited high expression of class I HLA-A, B, C, but class II HLA-DR expression was absent. Freshly isolated normal brain cells displayed little or no HLA antigens. Alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (aCTL), sensitized to the HLA of the patient, were generated in a one-way mixed lymphocyte response (MLR). The specificity of aCTL was confirmed to be to target cells (patient glioma cells or lymphoblasts) expressing the relevant HLA antigens. However, nontumor patient-specific aCTL did not lyse normal brain cells. Titration of antibodies to HLA class I into cytotoxicity assays blocked lysis of gliomas by aCTL, confirming aCTL T cell receptor (TCR) interactions with the class I antigen on gliomas. Furthermore, aCTL interactions with glioma cells caused their apoptosis. Coincubations of aCTL with gliomas resulted in upregulated cytokine secretion. Importantly, dexamethasone, an immunosuppressive steroid used for brain edema, did not affect aCTL lytic function against tumor, indicating that steroid-dependent patients may benefit from the immunotherapy. We also explored the use of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) to increase aCTL tumor recognition. Coincubation of gliomas with exogenous IFN-gamma (500 U/ml, 48 h) caused a 3-fold upregulation of HLA class I and a slight induction of class II antigen expression. Gene-modified glioma cells producing IFN-gamma similarly displayed upregulated HLA expression. Glioma cells incubated with exogenous IFN-gamma or IFN-gamma-transduced glioma cells were more susceptible to lysis by aCTL than their parental counterparts, thus supporting the concept of combining IFN-gamma cytokine gene therapy with adoptive aCTL immunotherapy for brain tumor treatment.