Response of human glioblastoma cells to recombinant interleukin-2

We investigated the ability of glioma cells to respond to T cell-derived lymphokines. The growth of astrocytoma and mixed glioblastoma cell lines, as assessed by DNA synthesis, was inhibited in the presence of supernatants derived from mitogen-stimulated human T cells, an HTLV-II-transformed human T cell line, Mo, and human interleukin-2 (IL-2). The mixed glioblastoma cell line, 138-MG-C, was subjected to limiting dilution analysis, and two cell lines (5D7, 5C5) were derived which were homogeneous with respect to staining for galactocerebroside (GalC) (100%). These two GalC+ glioblastoma cell lines proliferated in the presence of high concentrations of recombinant human interleukin-2 (RIL-2). Additionally, these cell lines bear receptors for the IL-2 molecule as determined by immunofluorescent staining with various anti-IL-2 receptor antibodies.