Inhibition of Human Pancreatic Tumor Growth by Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells in Nude Mouse Xenograft Model

• Published in: Immune network Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 247 - 252
• Main Authors: Kim, Ji Sung, Park, Yun Soo, Kim, Ju Young, Kim, Yong Guk, Kim, Yeon Jin, Lee, Hong Kyung, Kim, Hyung Sook, Hong, Jin Tae, Kim, Youngsoo, Han, Sang-Bae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Pancreatic cancer; Adoptive immunotherapy; Cytokine-induced killer cells
• ISSN: 1598-2629; 2092-6685

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth commonest cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. However, no adequate therapy for pancreatic cancer has yet been found. In this study, the antitumor activity of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells against the human pancreatic cancer was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with IL-2-containing medium in anti-CD3 for 14 days. The resulting populations of CIK cells comprised 94% $CD3^+$, 4% $CD3^-CD56^+$, 41% $CD3^+CD56^+$, 11% $CD4^+$, and 73% $CD8^+$. This heterogeneous cell population was called cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells. At an effector-target cell ratio of 100 : 1, CIK cells destroyed 51% of AsPC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells, as measured by the $^{51}Cr$-release assay. In addition, CIK cells at doses of 3 and 10 million cells per mouse inhibited 42% and 70% of AsPC-1 tumor growth in nude mouse xenograft assays, respectively. This study suggests that CIK cells may be used as an adoptive immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer patients.