Antitumor effect of tumor necrosis factor-? in combination with interferon -? on hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the antitumor effects of tumor necrosis factor- ? (TNF - ?) and interferon -?(IFN -?) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) . METHODS: Cytotoxicity of the combination of TNF-? and IFN-? on HCC in vitro was measured by using a crystal violet (CV) staining method. Antitumor effects of the combination of TNF- ? and IFN - ? on HCC in vivo were observed by intra - hepatic injection of TNF-? and IFN-? to the tumor in a human HCC nude mice hepatic model. RESULTS: The growth of HCC cells was inhibited by TNF -? alone, which was dose - dependent. The cytotoxicity of TNF -? on HCC was enhanced by incubation with IFN -?. TNF at 107 U/L, or IFN -? at 106 U/L alone killed only 27.1 % or 7.9 of HCC cells, respectively, when combined with IFN -?, it killed 83.7% of HCC cells. A synergistic antitumor effect on HCC in vivo was observed in combination group, as tumor growth inhibition rate was 35.9% compared with 17.2% in TNF-? group and 5.6% in IFN -? group. The survival period of mice bearing tumor was significantly prolonged and serum AFP was significantly decreased in combination group (P