In Vivo and in Vitro Characteristics of Interleukin 6-transfected B16 Melanoma Cells1

Interleukin 6 (11-6) is a multifunctional cytokine important in the inflammatory response. Its potential role as an antitumor agent has been suggested by its demonstrated activity in a variety of tumor models. The mechanism of antitumor activity has been proposed to be its en hancement of cytotoxic T-cell function. In the current work we demon strate clear antitumor activity for this cytokine in a nonimmunogenic tumor system. B16 melanoma cells transfected with the human IL-6 complementary DNA demonstrated slower tumor growth in vivo. Tu mors that developed from these cells had a prominent stromal matrix, an easily recognized infiltration of inflammatory cells, fewer mitotic figures, and fewer blood vessels. These in vivo findings corresponded with a greater adhesion of the IL-6-transfected B16 cells to stromal matrix proteins (laminin, fibronectin, and vitronectin) and a less prom inent vascular response in an intradermal angiogenesis assay. There fore, we propose that with weakly antigenic tumors, such as B16 mela noma, IL-6 may mediate important antitumor responses by nonspecific proinflammatory mechanisms.