Interleukin-2 modulates the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-one (LFA-1) and p150,95 during the generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells.

Lymphocyte function-associated antigen-one (LFA-1), Mac1 and p150,95 represent a family of heterodimeric cell surface molecules with a common beta subunit and distinct alpha subunits. LFA-1 is known to be functionally important in cell-cell interactions between immune cells. In the present study, a mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb), RH1-38, which recognizes an epitope on the beta-chain of LFA-1 was used to study the function and expression of LFA-1 on lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. This mAb has been shown previously to block, in the absence of complement, cytolytic activity mediated by natural killer (NK) cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), and a monocyte-like cell (phorbol diester-stimulated HL-60 cells). LAK cells were generated by culturing in vitro human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in the presence of human recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2), and cytotoxic activity was measured by a 51Cr-release assay using the human NK-resistant Daudi cell line. Addition of RH1-38 ascites supernatant, purified RH1-38 mAb, or F(ab')2 fragment of RH1-38 markedly reduced (>80) LAK cytolytic activity, whereas NS-1 (parent hybridoma) ascites supernatant, normal mouse IgG, and monoclonal anti-HLA had no effect on LAK-mediated killing. Equivalent inhibition of NK and CTL activity by purified RH1-38 required 10-100-fold more antibody. Appreciable inhibition occurred if the mAb was added up to 2 hr after LAK cells were mixed with targets. Indirect immunofluorescence flow cytometry and immunoprecipitation studies revealed that LFA-1 and p150,95 expression were dramatically enhanced in PBL populations cultured with rIL-2 compared with PBL cultured without rIL-2; Daudi cells expressed no detectable LFA-1 family heterodimers. Time-course experiments demonstrated that during culture of PBL in the presence of rIL-2, development of enhanced expression of LFA-1 and p150,95 correlated closely with LAK cytolytic activity. These studies (i) demonstrate that LFA-1 and/or p150,95 are functionally important effector cell surface molecules expressed by LAK cells and that some homology to NK and CTL mechanisms of cell-mediated lysis may exist; and (ii) suggest that enhanced LFA-1 and/or p150,95 expression are important for development of the fully differentiated LAK effector cell in the presence of rIL-2.