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Biomedical subjects

K Totpal

Publications and source records attributed to K Totpal.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Interleukin 4 potentiates the antiproliferative effects of tumor necrosis factor on various tumor cell lines.

In response to a given stimulus, usually a number of cytokines are secreted simultaneously by the immune system. Whether these cytokines are meant to function as a single agent or in combination with others is not understood. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been shown to exhibit antiproliferative effects against a wide variety of tumor cell lines in vitro. In the present report, we investigated the effects of a T-cell-derived cytokine, interleukin 4 (IL-4), on the antiproliferative effects of TNF against different tumor cell lines. The growth characteristics of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-330) were minimally affected when the cells were exposed to either TNF or IL-4 alone. However, together these 2 cytokines inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. The enhancement of the cytotoxic effects of TNF by IL-4 were not just limited to breast tumor cells, but were also observed with human epidermoid carcinoma cells (A-431) and human histiocytic lymphoma cells (U-937). The enhancement of the cytotoxic effect of TNF by IL-4 against various tumor cell lines was found comparable with that by gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma). Interestingly, for certain tumor cell types, IL-4 alone was found to enhance cell proliferation. IL-4 had no effect on the growth-stimulatory activity of TNF on normal human foreskin fibroblasts. Pre-exposure of U-937 cells to IFN-gamma led to a greater than 2-fold induction in TNF receptors, but no modulation of TNF receptors by IL-4 was observed. Moreover, the presence of IFN-gamma was found to further potentiate the antiproliferative effects of TNF and IL-4. These results clearly suggest that IL-4 potentiates the antiproliferative responses of TNF by a mechanism different from that of IFN-gamma. Although it is well known that IL-4 can modulate the production of TNF from macrophages, this is the first report to suggest that IL-4 can also modulate TNF-dependent antiproliferative responses.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Highly oncolytic adherent lymphocytes: therapeutic relevance for leukemia.

We have generated and characterized a highly oncolytic adherent lymphocyte subset (A-LAK) from eight leukemic patients with non-lymphocytic leukemia (NLL) in remission and one NLL patient in relapse. Our studies demonstrated that A-LAK was superior in its oncolytic activity (tested in a 3-h 51Cr release assay) to conventionally prepared (LAK) and non-adherent (NA) IL-2 cultures. No activity was observed by this highly oncolytic subset against normal bone marrow (BM). A-LAK also displayed highest proliferative activity in 7-11 day cultures (5- to 58-fold expansion) in comparison to LAK (0.7- to 2.7-fold) or NA (1.0- to 2.6-fold) cultures. Analysis of phenotype of unseparated, NA and adherent (A-LAK) lymphocytes 24 h after IL-2 activation showed that the A-LAK was composed predominantly of high intensity (bright) CD11a+ (LFA-1) lymphocytes (75 +/- 4.8%) when compared to the other two populations (12 +/- 2.1%). Similarly, A-LAK contained higher proportion of CD11b (CR3 receptor)-positive lymphocytes (39 +/- 2.1%) than unseparated and NA lymphocytes (11 +/- 1.4%). Double marker phenotypic studies showed that A-LAK cultures were heterogeneous and distribution of individual lymphocyte subsets differed among NLL patients. While in A-LAK culture of some patients the CD56+, CD3- natural killer (NK) cell subset was predominant, CD3+, CD56- lymphocyte subset was prevalent in others. Highest A-LAK lytic activity was always correlated with highest NK cell content. Characterization studies (using the complement-depletion technique) showed that independently of the distribution of lymphocytes in A-LAK cultures, CD16+, CD56+, CD3- NK cell subset displayed highest oncolytic effect. CD5+ subset also participated in cytotoxic function. These observations indicated that A-LAK may represent a new therapeutic approach to treatment of leukemia.

Adult↗

In vitro selection of NIH-3T3 cells for resistance to lymphotoxin induces resistance to activated macrophages and enhances tumorigenicity in vivo.

It is well known that expression of certain growth factors leads to tumorigenesis. However, the role of growth inhibitory molecules in this process is less certain. During the last few years several cytokines with growth inhibitory properties have been identified. In spite of the production of these cytokines by the body's immune system, the growth and progression of the tumor continue. In order to understand the mechanisms by which tumor escapes the host defense system, we have used lymphotoxin (LT), a lymphocyte-derived cytokine that is known to selectively inhibit the growth of certain tumor cells. The effect of LT was investigated on NIH-3T3 mouse fibroblast cells that are highly sensitive to its cytotoxic effects and are also tumorigenic in nude mice. On exposure to 10 units/ml of LT, 50% of these cells are killed within 24 h. A stable variant of NIH-3T3 cells that is completely resistant (LT-R) to even 10,000-fold higher concentration of the cytokine than that of sensitive cells (LT-S) was isolated in vitro by repeated exposure to LT. Both LT-S and LT-R displayed similar characteristics when grown both as a monolayer and in soft agar. No significant difference in LT receptor number or affinity between the two cell types was observed. It was not possible to overcome the resistance to LT by the addition of interferon-gamma but the resistance could be overcome by the presence of various chemotherapeutic agents suggesting a difference in the mechanism of action of these two agents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

3T3 Cells↗

HIV-1 tat gene induces tumor necrosis factor-beta (lymphotoxin) in a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line.

The tat protein from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activates viral gene expression and is essential for HIV replication in vitro. It has also been shown that the tat gene product specifically inhibits antigen-induced proliferation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. In order to understand the growth and immunomodulatory roles of HIV-1 tat, we have examined the effect of the tat gene on the expression of tumor necrosis factors in a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line (Raji). We report here that the HIV-1 tat gene introduced into Raji cells by retroviral-mediated transformation induces production of tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-beta). The tat-mediated induction of TNF-beta seems to be both at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels because, concurrent with a 30-fold increase in the levels of TNF-beta protein, an approximate 8-fold increase in mRNA was observed in tat-transformed Raji cells. It is recently reported that tat protein of HIV-1 stimulates growth of cells derived from Kaposi's sarcoma lesions of AIDS patients (Ensoli, B., Barillari, G., Salahuddin, S.Z., Gallo, R.C., and Wong-Staal, F. (1990) Nature 345, 84-86). Since TNF has been shown to function as a growth factor for several cell types, our results showing induction of TNF-beta by tat indicate the possibility that a growth-stimulatory role of HIV-1 tat on Kaposi's sarcoma cells is mediated through TNF-beta.

B-Lymphocytes↗