Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of interleukin-12(IL-12) on the proliferation and cytotoxicity of cytokine-induced killer(CIK) cells in vitro. Methods: Three different combinations of cytokines, IL-2, IL-12 + IL-2, and IL-12, were used to proliferate CIK cells, adding IFN-γ, IL-1 and CD3 McAb in each one. Phenotype of the cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. The cellular proliferation and cytotoxic activity were determined by cytometry and MTT assay. Results: CIK cells generated by the three methods showed high reproductive activity, and no obviously difference in inducing CD3+CD56+ cells was found among the three groups. The group of IL-2 + IL-12 evidently enhanced both the proliferation and the cytotoxicity of the CIK cells compared with the other two groups(P < 0.05). Conclusion: IL-12 could be used to induce the CIK cells as well as IL-2. CIK cells induced by combining IL-12 with IL-2 had stronger proliferative ability and higher cytotoxicity to tumor cells in vitro, which could be used as a potential anti-tumor adoptive immunotherapy in clinic.
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