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. 1988 Sep;27(2):163–170. doi: 10.1007/BF00200022

Comparative studies between in vitro and in vivo effects of human beta-interferon on natural killer activity and its relevance to immunochemotherapy

Stefania D'Atri 1, Maria Pia Fuggetta 1, Gabriella Giganti 2, Lucio Tentori 1, Mario Roselli 2, Corrado Nunziata 2, Simonetta Pastore 2, Enzo Bonmassar 2, Liana De Vecchis 2,✉
PMCID: PMC11038518  PMID: 3416325

Abstract

A good correlation was found between in vivo and in vitro responses of peripheral MNC from breast cancer patients and the NK boosting effect of human βIFN. In vitro immunochemotherapy studies showed that marked antitumor effects were obtained against cultured cancer cells when a widely used chemotherapeutic agent such as 5-FU was combined with nonsensitized spontaneously cytolytic MNC, preactivated in vitro with βIFN. These results suggest that the in vitro susceptibility assay of MNC to IFNs could be used for predicting favorable responses to immunochemotherapy regimens employing IFNs as immunomodulating agents.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Cancer Cell, Cancer Patient, Cancer Research, Natural Killer

Footnotes

Abbreviations used: βIFN, beta-interferon; CM, complete medium; CTX, cyclophosphamide; E:T ratio, effector target ratio; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; FCS, fetal calf serum; 5-FU, 5-fluorouracil; γIFN, gamma-interferon; Hepes, N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulphonic acid IFNs, interferons; KC, killed cells; LDIF, low doses beta-interferon; LU, lytic unit; MAT macrotest; MIT, microtest; MNC, mononuclear cells; MNC/IFN, βIFN-pretreated MNC; MTX, methotrexate; NB, no boosting; NK, natural killer; NKA, NK activity; NR, natural resistance; PM, positive modulation; SE, standard error; WM, washing medium

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