A multicellular tumor spheroid model of cellular immunity against head and neck cancer

Summary A multicellular tumor spheroid (MTS) model for head and neck cancers has been used to examine the immune function of fresh and 6-day interleukin-2(IL-2)-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). MTS are individually cultured in the presence of effector cells, and the spheroids' growth is monitored by sizing them under an inverted microscope. Dose/response studies for IL-2 (0–100 U/ml) alone and for fresh unstimulated PBL (0–10⁵ cells/MTS) showed no effects on MTS growth. IL-2-activated PBL (0–10⁵ cells/MTS), in contrast, modulated MTS growth in a multiphasic pattern: MTS growth was unperturbed for the first 3 days and then growth inhibition occurred, followed by MTS disintegration. Histological analysis showed that intact MTS histoarchitecture correlated with unperturbed growth, and increasing cell sloughing and MTS dissolution and replacement by activated PBL correlated with growth inhibition and disintegration. Flow-cytometric sorting of lymphocyte subset populations indicated that it was the Leu19⁺CD3^– cells that produced these growth-modulatory effects. In contrast to the initial LAK cell resistance of MTS, single-cell suspensions demonstrated significant lysis in standard 4-h chromium-release assays. Differences between single cells and MTS suggest a potential for tissue-like organization as a factor in lymphokine-activated killing.Supported in part by the First Independent Investigator Award (R29 CA46 251-01) (S. P. S.) of the National Cancer Institute. The Cancer Information Systems Core Facility used in this study was funded under the National Cancer Institute grant CA 16672