Antitumor activity of TNF-α, IL-1, and IFN-γ against three human osteosarcoma cell lines

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. The peak incidence is in adolescence and the prognosis is very poor. Even after amputation and chemotherapy, many patients who suffer from osteosarcoma die of lung metastases within 2 years. This report documents a study of the in vitro antitumor activity of cytokines against three human osteosarcoma cell lines. The cell lines MG-63, SAOS-2, and TE-85 were incubated with TNF-α, IL-1, or IFN-γ alone or in combination. TNF-α, IL-1, and IFN-γ had antiproliferative activity against all three cell lines. TNF-α and IFN-γ were the most effective against SAOS-2; MG-63 cells were the most sensitive to IL-1, and TE-85 cells were resistant to TNF-α and IL-1 but sensitive to IFN-γ. The synergistic antitumor effect of TNF-α plus IFN-γ, IL-1α, or IL-1β or of IFN-γ plus IL-1α or IL-1β was higher than that obtained when the cytokines were employed alone.