[Induction of cytotoxic activity from regional lymph node lymphocytes in head and neck malignant tumor]

Cytotoxic activities of rIL-2-stimulated effector cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC-LAK), and those from the regional lymph node cells (LN-LAK) from patients with head and neck malignant tumor were examined by 4-hour 51Cr release assay. Cytotoxicity of LAK cells from involved lymph node (LN (+)-LAK) were significantly lower than those of PBMC-LAK. LAK cells from non-involved lymph node (LN (-)-LAK) had a significantly higher cytotoxicity against Daudi cell than PBMC-LAK. Cytotoxic activities against K562 cell and autologous tumor cells mediated by LN (-)-LAK were not significantly different from those by PBMC-LAK. However, autologous tumor cell lysis by LN (-)-LAK from lymph nodes showing follicular lymphoid hyperplasia (FLH) pattern was higher than that by PBMC-LAK. The effector cells against autologous tumor cells were characterized CD56+ cells and CD8+ cells (CD8+CD11b- cells) by phenotypic analysis and negative selection assay using immunomagnetic isolation technique.