Interleukin-2-responsive wound-infiltrating lymphocytes in surgical adjuvant cancer immunotherapy.

Wound-infiltrating lymphocytes (WIL) were assessed in murine models of localized sarcoma and carcinoma to evaluate the role of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-responsive lymphocytes in adjuvant immunotherapy. Following tumor resection, IL-2 or diluent was injected at the surgical site for 6 days. Surgical site tissues were harvested and digested in a triple enzyme mixture, and single cell suspensions were prepared. Thy 1.2+ lymphocytes were isolated by incubating cells with monoclonal anti-Thy 1.2 antibody-coated magnetic beads. Lymphocyte-bead complexes were extracted with a magnet and cultured in medium containing IL-2 (100 units/ml) for 1-3 weeks. Perioperative IL-2 immunotherapy led to a three- to four-fold increase in WIL yield. WIL from IL-2-treated mice also demonstrated enhanced cytolysis of the autologous tumor and bound to activated endothelial cells with greater avidity than did the controls. We conclude that perioperative IL-2 therapy augments the yield, as well as the cytolytic and adhesive properties, of wound-infiltrating lymphocytes.