Intracellular poly(I:C) initiated gastric adenocarcinoma cell apoptosis and subsequently ameliorated NK cell functions.

Natural killer (NK) cells are granular lymphocytic cells that exert essential functions in viral infection defense and tumor immune surveillance. However, the functions of NK cells were impaired in cancer patients. Polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] has been used as an immune adjuvant to improve innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, intracellular poly(I:C) could trigger gastric adenocarcinoma cells apoptosis quickly. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of poly(I:C)-treated gastric adenocarcinoma cells to NK cell cytolysis was increased, concomitant with the elevated expression of MICA/B and Fas. Furthermore, the cytolytic activity of NK cells against tumor cells was augmented significantly by the supernatant from poly(I:C)-transfected tumor cells compared with NK cells treated by the supernatant from untreated tumor cells, as well as the proliferation and migration abilities of NK cells. In this process, the activating receptors and cytolysis-associated molecules of NK cells were up-regulated. Further investigation showed that type I interferon (IFN) produced by poly(I:C)-transfected gastric adenocarcinoma cells played an important role in this process. Our findings demonstrated that intracellular poly(I:C) not only triggered gastric adenocarcinoma cell apoptosis, but also enhanced NK responses via inducing type I IFN production by gastric adenocarcinoma cells. These functions make poly(I:C) a promising therapeutic medicine for gastric adenocarcinoma.