The effects of γ-interferon combined with 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine on proliferation and antigen expression in a panel of human colorectal cancer cell lines

I. W H M Maas, E. Boven, H. M. Pinedo, H. M M Schluper, H. J. Haisma

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Gamma-interferon (IFN-γ) and the antimetabolites 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FUdR) were investigated as individual agents and in combination for their in vitro antiproliferative capacity and for their effect on the expression of HLA class-I antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the intracellular tumor-associated antigen CTA-1 in 7 human colorectal cancer cell lines: WiDr, HT29, Colo 205, SW1116, LS174T, SW1398, and LoVo. Growth inhibition by IFN-γ at clinically relevant concentrations (50-100 U/ml) was found in 4/7 cell lines. The cell lines were equally sensitive to 5-FU (IC50 in a range of 2-10 μM), while sensitivity to FUdR varied considerably (IC50 in a range of 0.01-90 μM). When 50 U/ml IFN-γ were combined with 5-FU or FUdR, the antiproliferative effects were synergistic in those cell lines with sensitivity to IFN-γ as a single agent, but not in the IFN-γ-insensitive cell lines. IFN-γ was able to enhance the expression of HLA Class I and CEA in 4/7 and 3/7 cell lines, respectively, as measured by flow cytometry. CTA-1 expression could not be enhanced with IFN-γ. The expression of the 3 antigens tested was also increased by 5-FU and FUdR. This effect was concentration-dependent in most instances and varied between the individual cell lines. The combination of 50 U/ml IFN-γ with 25% growth-inhibitory concentration of 5-FU or FUdR for each cell line resulted in an additional increase in antigen expression in 4/7 cell lines. No relation was found between the enhancement of antigen expression and the sensitivity to IFN-γ or the anti-metabolites. The enhancement in antigen expression also did not show a relationship with changes in cell-cycle distribution upon exposure to IFN-γ or the anti-metabolites. These results suggest independent mechanisms for the antiproliferative and antigen-enhancing effects of IFN-γ, 5-FU and FUdR.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)749-756
Number of pages8
JournalInternational Journal of Cancer
Volume48
Issue number5
StatePublished - 1991
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cancer Research
  • Oncology

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