Interferon-γ inhibits growth of human neuroendocrine carcinoma cells via induction of apoptosis

Although biotherapy of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) provides excellent control for the hypersecretion syndrome, tumor regression is rarely observed, implying the need for novel antiproliferative strategies. Here, we demonstrate that human pancreatic QGP-1 NET cells express functionally intact interferon-γ (IFN-γ) receptors and downstream effectors, including the putative tumor suppressor interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1). IFN-γ treatment profoundly inhibited anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth of QGP-1 cells. Concomitant with the onset of growth inhibition, apoptotic cells were detected in cell cycle analyses of IFN-γ treated cultures. Apoptosis was confirmed by evaluation of DNA fragmentation and PARP cleavage. Immunoblots of IFN-γ treated QGP-1 cells revealed a substantial upregulation of caspase-1, followed by the appearance of active proteolytic fragments of caspase-3, suggesting that autocatalytic activation of caspase-1 might initiate the caspase cascade. Apoptosis induction by IFN-γ was also observed in two of four primary cultures established from tumors of patients with for- and midgut NETs, respectively. Taken together our results characterize IFN-γ as a potent proapoptotic stimulus in a subset of gastrointestinal NETs and suggest an IRF-1 mediated induction of caspase-1 as a relevant underlying mechanism. Based on these results, the potential of IFN-γ in experimental biotherapeutic treatment of NETs can be further explored.