Recombinant interleukin-2 acts as an adjuvant and helps to increase the efficacy of tumour vaccines.
To examine augmentation of the resistance-inducing effect of tumour vaccines with IL-2, we have used the cytokine produced by genetically modified somatic cells, and a conventional experimental model of TRA-expressing, MC-induced murine fibrosarcoma transplanted in histocompatible mice. We have found that the effect of s.c. immunization with irradiated tumour vaccines can be substantially enhanced by IL-2 injected repeatedly at the site of vaccination. To investigate the kinetics of local and systemic immunocyte populations during the course of immunization with vaccine plus IL-2, some of the vaccinated mice were sacrificed and their regional LNC and spleen cells were used for phenotypic analysis. It has been found that local (s.c.) administration of the irradiated tumour vaccine plus IL-2 was accompanied by an early depletion of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in regional lymph nodes followed by subsequent rebound lymphocytosis. The local reaction was followed by a systemic response in the spleen characterized with an increase in TCR alpha beta + CD4+ lymphocytes.
- PubMed
- Europe PMC
- Folia Biol (Praha) 43:39-40 ()