Antitumor effects of cocultured dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells on human non-small cell lung cancer through EGFR signaling pathway

The death rates of lung cancer have ranked first in the world. Many patients are at advanced stage when diagnosed; therefore, they miss optimal operative period. And some patients cannot endure radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The present study investigated the antitumor effects of cocultured dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells on human non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the potential underlying mechanisms. Antitumor effects of cocultured dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells suppressed the cell proliferation, increased the cytotoxicity, induced the apoptosis and promoted caspase-3/9 activities in NSCLC. Meanwhile, the effects of cocultured dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells suppressed the protein expression of TGF-beta, inhibited IL-4 activity, enhanced IL-10 and PGE-2 activities and activated the protein expression of IFN-gamma and suppressed EGFR protein expression of NSCLC. This study provides a theoretical and experimental basis for clinical immunotherapy using the effect of cocultured dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells on NSCLC through activating of caspases, IL-10 activity, PGE-2, IFN-gamma and EGFR expression, and suppression of IL-4 activity and TGF-beta protein expression.