Abstract
Purpose To determine the effects of live BCG, autoclaved BCG and interferon alpha-2b on cytokine production in human bladder cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods The release of nine cytokines from the human bladder cancer cell lines, RT4, RT112, SD, MGH and J82, was measured by ELISA assay. The mRNA level of IL-6 and GM-CSF was determined by RT-PCR. Results BCG and/or interferon alpha-2b differentially increased IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF and TNF-alpha production in the bladder cancer cells. High grade cell lines were more responsive to BCG whereas low grade lines were more sensitive to interferon alpha-2b. This correlated with cytotoxicity and growth inhibition induced by these agents. BCG could also induce low levels of IFN-alpha production in all the cell lines. Compared with live BCG, autoclaved BCG had no anti-proliferative effect on MGH cells and was less effective in stimulating the production of IL-6, IL-8 and GM-CSF. However, autoclaved BCG was as effective as live BCG in inhibiting growth and stimulating IL-6 and TNF-alpha production of J82 cells. The combination of BCG and interferon alpha-2b also completely suppressed TGF-beta 1 production in the MGH and RT112 cell lines. Conclusions The combination of BCG and interferon alpha-2b has additive effects in cytokine production from bladder cancer cells. This correlates with cytotoxicity and growth inhibition induced by these agents.
Published Version
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