Association of morphological differentiation with enhanced surface antigen expression and susceptibility to natural killer cell lysis in theophylline-treated human melanoma cells.

Human and animal melanomas undergo maturation spontaneously in vivo and in vitro, and as a result of experimental manipulation in vitro. To gain a better understanding of this phenomenon, we studied the effects of theophylline on a cultured human malignant melanoma cell line (CaCL 73-36). We observed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth with a reduction in plating efficiency of 16, 64, and 99% at concentrations of theophylline of 0.1, 1.0, and 2.0 mM, respectively. Theophylline-treated cells showed morphological changes consistent with a more differentiated state such as increased dendrite formation and contact inhibition. Expression of surface HLA-A,B,C antigens and beta-2-microglobulin was enhanced 15- and fivefold, respectively. Finally, cells treated with theophylline for 96 h showed a five- to eightfold increase in sensitivity to lysis by natural killer cells. These findings have obvious bearing on the potential use of theophylline in the treatment of malignant melanoma.

Association of morphological differentiation with enhanced surface antigen expression and susceptibility to natural killer cell lysis in theophylline-treated human melanoma cells. Journal Articles