The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment combined with magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) on Lewis lung cancer-bearing mice. Magnetic fluids were prepared in vitro and directly injected into the tumors in the mice, which were subjected to an alternating magnetic field. The temperature in the tumor reached 43°C and was maintained by controlling the strength of magnetic field for 30 min. Twenty-four hours later, IL-2 was injected directly into the tumors. Mice were divided into four groups: Group I (control), II (MFH), III (IL-2) and IV (IL-2+MFH). The tumor grew gradually in groups II and IV (both P<0.05) compared to the control group. Histological analysis showed that the tumor cells underwent apoptosis and necrosis. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that heat-shock protein 70 and cluster of differentiation (CD) 8-positive and CD4-positive T cells were strongly expressed following hypothermia. Therefore, the present study provided evidence that IL-2 treatment combined with MFH improves the therapeutic effect on lung cancer-bearing mice.
Keywords: hyperthermia; interleukin-2; lung cancer; magnetic fluid.