Interleukin-6 Inhibits Regulatory T Cells and Improves the Proliferation and Cytotoxic Activity of Cytokine-induced Killer Cells

• DOI: 10.1097/cji.0b013e318255ada3
• Publication Date: 2012-04-10T19:29:56Z
• Authors: Guohe Lin; Jin Wang; Xiangming Lao; Jun Wang; Lian Li; Shuhong Li; Jinye Zhang; Yong Dong; Alfred E. Chang; Qiao Li; Shengping Li
• Keywords: Interleukin 15

The presence of regulatory T cells in patients who received therapeutic cytokine-induced killer (CIK) may inhibit host immunity, leading to failed immunotherapy. In this study, we investigated the impact using interleukin-6 (IL-6) on phenotype alteration, proliferation, and cytotoxic activity CIK generated from peripheral blood mononuclear with hepatocellular carcinoma. We found that addition IL-6 CIK-cell culture medium decreased percentage Treg/CD4+, Treg/CD3+ resultant simultaneously increased proliferation ability, expression CD45RO+CD62LlowCCR7low effector memory phenotype, cytotoxicity against carcinoma vitro. Our results also showed Th17/CD4+ was cells, but proportion not affected by medium. Collectively, these data suggest have potential improve antitumor cancer