Evaluation of natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity in vivo in patients treated with high-dose interleukin-2 and adoptive transfer of autologous LAK cells.

This study investigated the development of peripheral blood natural killer (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity in vivo in cancer patients treated with high doses of recombinant interleukin-2 and autologous LAK cell infusion. It was found that interleukin-2 administration by bolus injection resulted in an early but transient rise of NK and LAK cell activity in vivo during the first 5-9 days of treatment (postpriming period), whereas continuous infusion of interleukin-2 caused an increase in both cytotoxic activities in the second phase of the treatment, concomitant with infusions of autologous LAK cells. Elevated NK but not LAK cell activity in vivo in the continuous-infusion patients persisted up to 180 days after completion of therapy. In both bolus and continuous interleukin-2 protocols, augmented NK cell activity in vivo appeared to be correlated with a beneficial response to therapy.