Effects of dimethyl sulfoxide treatment on h-2 expression and susceptibility to NK - or cytotoxic T - lymphocyte - mediated lysis of the YAC-1 lymphoma and its β₂-microglobulin - deficient variant

The effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on H-2 expression and susceptibility to NK-and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated lysis in the murine T-cell lymphoma YAC-1 and its beta-2-microglobulin (β₂m)- deficient variant were studied. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis revealed induction of H-2k^k and βm 3 days after culture of YAC-1 with DMSO, where optimal H-2Dd induction required more than 1 week. H-2K^k and H-2D^d induction by DMSO was equal to preteatment of YAC-1 cells with 50-100 and 10-20 U/ml interferon (IFN)-gamma, respectively, but the T-cell differentation antigens Lyt-1, Lyt-2, Thy-1, and L₃T₄ remained unaffected. DMSO Protected YAC-1 cells from NK lysis as efficently as 10-20 UIFN/ml, whereas susceptibility to anti-H-2^a-, H-2K^k-, and H-2D^d-specific CTLs Was augmented as in IFN-treated YAC-1 cells. In contrast, the β₂m-deficient variant, which remained H-2 negative at the cell surface after DMSON treatment, also remained NK sensitive. Thus DMSO can induce H-2 expression and alter the sensitivity of murine lymphoma cells to different effector cells. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1988;80:263-269]