Differential effects of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13) on tumoricidal and chemotactic properties of human monocytes induced by monocyte chemotactic and activating factor.

The effect of recombinant human IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 on the chemotaxis and antitumor activity of human blood monocytes induced by monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF) was examined. MCAF alone did not induce monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against human melanoma (A375-M) cells whereas it significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity by norMDP-stimulated monocytes. MCAF, unlike IFN-gamma, had no priming effect on monocyte activation by norMDP. MCAF acted with norMDP or LPS to enhance the production of both IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. Enhanced cytotoxicity of monocytes stimulated with MCAF plus norMDP was reduced by IL-1 receptor antagonist and anti-TNF-alpha antibody. IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 suppressed the generation of antitumor activity and cytokine production (IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha) of monocytes stimulated with MCAF plus norMDP or LPS. Chemotaxis of monocytes induced by MCAF was not affected by norMDP or any of the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13). Moreover, the pretreatment of monocytes with anti-inflammatory cytokines did not suppress monocyte-chemotaxis. These findings suggest that in vivo recruitment and anti-tumor expression of blood monocytes induced by MCAF may be differently regulated by anti-inflammatory cytokines in vivo.