Lysis of autologous human melanoma cells by in vitro allosensitized peripheral blood lymphocytes

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of melanoma patients were sensitized in vitro with lymphocytes of a single donor or with a pool of lymphocytes of 5-20 different donors. After 6-7 days, the cytotoxic activity of the sensitized PBL was tested against cultured autologous tumor cells and lymphocytes in a 51Cr-release assay. Tumor lysis was observed in 13 of 16 cases in which patients' PBL (Pt-PBL) were stimulated by a pool of allogeneic lymphocytes and in five out of seven cases when single sensitization was performed. In no case was lysis of autologous normal lymphocytes or blasts seen. Cultivation of Pt-PBL with irradiated autologous tumor cells never led to the induction of lymphocytes cytotoxic to melanoma cells. Lysability by pool-activated autologous Pt-PBL of fresh cryopreserved tumor cells was compared to that of short-term cultured tumor cells, and no significant differences were observed. Cold-target inhibition experiments indicated that the cytotoxicity of Pt-PBL was tumor-restricted since only autologous melanoma cells but not lymphocytes were able to inhibit the reaction. These results indicate that activation of Pt-PBL is necessary in order to elicit or amplify their antitumor activity.