KILLING OF TUMOR-CELLS INVITRO BY MACROPHAGES FROM MICE GIVEN INJECTIONS OF SQUALENE-TREATED CELL-WALL SKELETON OF NOCARDIA-RUBRA

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (7) , 2925-2930
Abstract
Peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) harvested from mice after i.p. injection of squalene-treated cell wall skeleton of N. rubra (N. rubra-CWS) demonstrated vigorous cytolytic activity in vitro toward tumor target cells. Fractionation of these PEC by adherence to plastic dishes showed that the cytolytic activity in PEC was associated with an adherent phagocytic cell. Induction of the cytolytic adherent PEC required an optimal dose of 50 .mu.g N. rubra-CWS and i.p. injection. Cytolytic activity of N. rubra-CWS-induced adherent PEC was maximal after 5 days and fell steadily thereafter. Susceptible tumor targets included cells syngeneic, allogeneic and xenogeneic to the effector cell source. Nonneoplastic xenogeneic cells were not affected by N. rubra-CWS-induced adherent PEC. The effector cells were not found in the spleen of peripheral lymph nodes. The cytolytic activity of N. rubra-CWS-induced adherent PEC was completely inhibited by treatment with antimacrophage serum and complement or carrageenan. Treatment with monoclonal anti-Thy 1.2 antibody and complement did not affect the cytolytic activity of the adherent PEC. N. rubra-CWS-induced cytolytic effector cells probably are macrophages.