Tumour necrosis factor mediates the survival benefit of interleukin 2 in a murine pulmonary metastases model. Surgical oncology FRAKER, D. L., THOM, A. K., Doherty, G. M., Langstein, H. N., Buresh, C. M., NORTON, J. A. 1992; 1 (1): 1-9

Abstract

Antibody to tumour necrosis factor (TNF Ab) markedly decreases the toxicity of systemic interleukin-2 (IL-2) in mice but does not completely abrogate the anti-tumour response in terms of number of pulmonary metastases. Experiments were performed with a murine model of pulmonary metastases treated with high-dose IL-2 and concomitant TNF Ab or control antibody (CON Ab) to determine the effects of TNF Ab on survival. Mice were given either equal doses of IL-2 and TNF Ab or CON Ab or equitoxic doses of IL-2. In four consecutive experiments mice given TNF Ab tolerated 5 to 6 additional IL-2 doses (a 40-60% increase in total doses) in the equitoxic IL-2 dose group compared to the maximally tolerated dose with CON Ab. In all four experiments TNF Ab-treated mice had decreased survival compared to the CON Ab group given equal doses of IL-2 and in two of four experiments this difference was statistically significant (P2 < 0.01). Mice given 40-60% additional doses of IL-2 with TNF Ab had no improvement in survival compared with equitoxic doses of IL-2 with CON Ab in three of four experiments (P2 = 0.32, P2 = 0.67, P2 = 0.69). The TNF Ab preparation had no direct inhibition of IL-2 activity in an in vitro IL-2 proliferation bioassay. TNF Ab consistently blocks IL-2 toxicity and it also abrogates IL-2 therapeutic efficacy such that survival parallels treatment toxicity in this experimental model.

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