Use of the subrenal capsule assay to measure antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity against head and neck tumors.

Experience with antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) has shown that antibody can increase the localization and killing capacity of lymphocytes. We tested the possibility of improving the activity of lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK) on human tumor using the subrenal capsule assay in nude mice. The tumors were first grown in the renal capsule space and the effector cells injected later. In the model experiment we used M21 melanoma and monoclonal antibody against melanoma-associated antigen GD3. This antibody increases the tumor inhibitory activity of LAK cells from healthy donors in comparison to LAK alone. We have been able to prove the clinical relevance of such an approach. Tumor bioptic material from five tumor patients was tested with various monoclonal antibodies, following which the highly reactive antibodies were selected and incubated with the patient's LAK cells. Such pretreated LAK cells have a high growth-inhibitory effect on autologous tumor growing in the renal capsule space of the test mice.