Effect of Thermal Stress on MICA/B Induction in a Human Liposarcoma Cell Line

Background: A possible mechanism by which hyperthermia enhances tumor immunogenicity is the induction of NKG2D ligands on tumor cells. Although the expression of MHC class I chain-related protein A and B (MICA/B) has previously been reported in different carcinomas, there is no information about MICA/B expression in liposarcomas. Objective: To investigate MICA/B induction in a human liposarcoma cell line (SW-872) after thermotherapy. Methods: SW-872 and HeLa cell lines were subjected to thermal stress for 1 h at 42, 44 and 46C, and after 2, 4 and 6 h of incubation at 37C, MICA/B expression was assessed at the mRNA and protein levels. Results: Despite high levels of MICA/B transcripts in SW-872 cells at baseline, the expression of these genes decreased significantly at both the mRNA and protein levels after almost all thermal treatments. Conclusion: Our data conclude that thermotherapy under 42-46°C had no effect on MICA/B induction on SW-872 liposarcoma cell line but the effects of fever-range temperatures remain to be tested on this cell line.