Athip Nilkaeo and Suthinee Bhuvanath

pp. 139 - 146

Abstract

Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a modulator of the immune system, has been shown to be involved in several
immune imbalance disorder episodes, including infections, autoimmunity and cancers. Its anti-cancer
activity is mediated by the activation of NK and T cells and by the induction of IFN-γ production; however,
its contribution to cancer pathogenesis has not been defined. In this study, with in vitro experimentation,
we found that this cytokine can act as a growth factor for breast cancer (MCF-7) and colon cancer (Caco-2)
cell lines as the cell number in treatment groups were significantly increased (p<0.05) compared to that of
control groups. Interestingly, it exerts anti-proliferative properties on oral carcinoma (KB) and embryonic
lung fibroblast (HEL) cell lines as a lower cell number was observed in treatment groups compared to the
controls (p<0.05). Findings from this study demonstrated the direct interaction between this cytokine and
cell proliferation and may implicate the future use of this cytokine as an immunotherapy for cancers.