A tumor-elaborated supernatant factor chemotactic for IL-2 expanded tumor infiltrating T-lymphocytes

Very little is known about factors influencing the migration of highly activated T-lymphocytes. One such lymphocyte population is the IL-2 expanded population of T cells infiltrating tumors. These tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) can cause tumor regression in patients with metastatic cancer and in murine tumor models when given in adoptive transfer. In patients with melanoma, these TIL have been shown to migrate to sites of tumor and this may be a critical factor in their antitumor activity. In this study, a 48-well microchemotaxis chamber and a 5 μm pore nitrocellulose filter membrane system was utilized to study the motility of murine TIL. A chemotactic response was observed to supernatants from freshly explanted, autologous, and nonautologous tumor cultured for 24 h. Serially passaged autologous and nonautologous tumors also produced supernatants with chemotactic activity. Supernatants from single cell suspensions of normal tissues prepared and cultured identically did not elicit chemotaxis. Chemotactic activity for TIL was not removed by dialysis (2000 MW exclusion limit), its activity was undiminished by heat treatment at 60°C for up to 60 min, and it was trypsin sensitive. Tumor supernatants were also chemotactic for two IL-2-dependent specifically alloreactive CTL lines (CTL-TIM and OE- 4), but not two helper T cell lines (D-10 and D-1.5) or normal resting lymphocytes. This is the first demonstration of a chemotactic effect on IL- 2-dependent, activated T cells. Characterization and purification of factors from tumor responsible for this directed migration are in progress.