Interleukin-18 inhibits lodging and subsequent growth of human multiple myeloma cells in the bone marrow.

An intravenous injection of ARH-77 cells (human multiple myeloma cell line) into mice with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID mice) results in lodging of tumor cells in the bone marrow of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and in their subsequent growth, the cells destroying bone and invading the spinal cord and surrounding tissues, and the mice show hind leg paralysis. Using this model, we investigated the effects of interleukin (IL)-18 on the lodging and subsequent growth of multiple myeloma cells in the bone marrow. Mouse recombinant IL-18 (mIL-18) at 1 microg/mouse was daily injected according to protocols A and B.

Interleukin-18 inhibits osteolytic bone metastasis by human lung cancer cells possibly through suppression of osteoclastic bone-resorption in nude mice.

Interleukin (IL)-18 exhibits antitumor as well as antiosteoclastogenic activities. These findings suggest that IL-18 is a potential tool for the treatment of cancers with associated osteolytic bone metastasis. We have previously shown that systemic daily administration of recombinant (r) IL-18 inhibits the development of osteolytic bone metastasis by human breast cancer cells.