Inhibition of human pancreatic tumor growth by cytokine-induced killer cells in nude mouse xenograft model

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth commonest cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. However, no adequate therapy for pancreatic cancer has yet been found. In this study, the antitumor activity of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells against the human pancreatic cancer was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with IL-2-containing medium in anti-CD3 for 14 days. The resulting populations of CIK cells comprised 94% CD3(+), 4% CD3(-)CD56(+), 41% CD3(+)CD56(+), 11% CD4(+), and 73% CD8(+). This heterogeneous cell population was called cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells. At an effector-target cell ratio of 100:1, CIK cells destroyed 51% of AsPC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells, as measured by the (51)Cr-release assay. In addition, CIK cells at doses of 3 and 10 million cells per mouse inhibited 42% and 70% of AsPC-1 tumor growth in nude mouse xenograft assays, respectively. This study suggests that CIK cells may be used as an adoptive immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer patients.