Potential of human lymph node cells for antitumor activity mediated by interferon gamma

The soluble antitumor activity of regional lymph node cells obtained from patients with cervical cancer was investigated by using a human tumor clonogenic assay (HTCA). A significant antiproliferative activity of the lymph node cells (LNCs) against a cervical cancer cell line, HeLa cells, was demonstrated by stimulation with either phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin A (Con A), but not with interleukin-2 (IL-2). This antiproliferative activity of LNC was found in nonadherent cells, possibly T-cells. By using neutralizing antibody experiments, this activity was found to be attributed to interferon gamma (IFN gamma), but not to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), although both cytokines were produced from LNC. These results indicate that human LNC was able to exert an antiproliferative activity mediated through the cytokines by appropriate stimulation.