Interleukin-2 induces cell cycle perturbations leading to cell growth inhibition and death in malignant mesothelioma cells in vitro

Previous report indicated that Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is able to inhibit the growth of IL-2-receptor-positive cancer cell lines without any involvement of the immune system, through IL-2-induced alterations of the cell cycle kinetics. In this study we provide evidence that IL-2 exerts anti-proliferative effect on three human malignant mesothelioma (MMe) cells in vitro, while no effects were observed on normal human mesothelial cell (HMC) primary cultures. The growth inhibitory effect of IL-2 on neoplastic cells appeared to depend on the baseline proliferative status of these cells. Indeed, in highly proliferating MMe cells, we observed a reduction of malignant cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle, with an accumulation in G0/G1, followed by apotosis for longer incubations or exposure to higher doses. On the contrary, in MMe cells proliferating at lower rate, IL-2 induces only a late cytotoxic effect, leading to apoptosis, without significantly affecting the cell cycle. IL-2Rβ mRNA was detectable by RT-PCR in all MMe cells, IL-2Rα mRNA in one only out the three assayed and IL-2Rγ mRNA in none. In addition, mRNA specific for the IL-2Rβ-associated Jak-1 tyrosine kinase was expressed in all MMe cell lines, further suggesting that IL-2Rβ may play a role in the observed effects. Very low, albeit detectable, levels of IL-2Rβ chain appeared to be expressed at the cell surface of MMe cells by indirect immunofluorescence and FACS analyses. Finally, Ca++ fluxes were rapidly induced when MMe cells were exposed to exogenous IL-2. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss Inc.