Enhanced efficacy of combination of IL-2 gene and IL-6 gene-transfected tumor cells in the treatment of established metastatic tumors

Gene Ther. 1996 May;3(5):421-6.

Abstract

IL-2 and IL-6 are important cytokines which have potent antitumor effects and can cooperate to induce immune responses more effectively. IL-2 gene or IL-6 gene-transfected tumor cells exhibited reduced tumorigenicity and decreased metastatic potential. In order to increase the therapeutic efficacy of IL-2 gene-, IL-6 gene-modified tumor vaccines, the experimental pulmonary metastatic melanoma-bearing mice were treated with inactivated IL-2 gene-transfected tumor cells and inactivated IL-6 gene-transfected tumor cells. After the combined vaccination, the pulmonary metastases were reduced more significantly and the survival time of tumor-bearing mice was also markedly prolonged. The CTL activity, NK activity and IL-2-induced LAK activity, IL-2 and TNF secretion from the splenocytes of the above tumor-bearing mice increased more significantly than that of tumor-bearing mice vaccinated with IL-2 gene-transfected vaccine or IL-6 gene transfected vaccine alone. These results demonstrated that the combined use of IL-2 gene-transfected tumor vaccine and IL-6 gene-transfected tumor vaccine could achieve more potent antitumor effect via more effective activation of specific and non-specific antitumor immune responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Female
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / genetics
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-6