Effects of interferon on hepatoma cell lines observed by electron microscopy

Abstract

The antitumor effect of human lymphoblastiod interferon-∝ (IFN-∝) was tested on three cultured human hepatoma cell lines, S102, R12 and HepG2. An IFN-∝ inhibited in a time-and dose-dependent manner to the proliferation of hepatoma cells, the most potent against S102 cells. The IFN-∝ at concentration 1,000 IU/ml showed cytocidal effect against S102 hepatoma cells with remaining only 3% viable cells on day eighth after the treatment. These IFN-∝ resisted cells recovered after the withdrawal of IFN-∝, however, the growth of IFN-∝ resisted cell was also being inhibited by being continuously cultured in IFN-∝ medium for 20 days. Morphological studies showed that IFN-∝-mediated effects were associated with occurrence of inclusion body-like particle which under the ultrastructural analysis appeared in form of hetergenous non-membrane bounded electron translucent structure and segmented nucleus. The mitochondria were the most sensitive organells, which swollen mitochondria were seen in both IFN-∝ sensitive and resisted cells. The RER and free ribosomes increased in number together with the accumulation of glycogen. Subsequently, nuclear changes consisted of segmented nucleus with scattered chromatin. The results from this study suggested that IFN-∝ was effective to S102 hepatoma cells with continuous administration.