INVITRO CYTO-TOXICITY TO VARIOUS HUMAN-TUMOR CELL-LINES OF A TUMOR CYTO-TOXIC FACTOR(S) PRODUCED BY HUMAN ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 75  (10) , 920-928
Abstract
When human alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained by lavage of the lungs of healthy donors were incubated in medium with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) they released a factor(s) with tumor cell killing activity. This tumor cytolytic and/or cytotoxic factor(s) with tumor cell killing activity. This tumor cytolytic and/or cytotoxic factor(s) (TCF) was assayed by measuring its effect in inhibiting target cell growth. TCF activity was not observed in the supernatant from cultures of LPS-treated hematopoietic malignant cell lines (monocytic leukemia, B-cell leukemia and T-cell leukemia cell lines). Human TCF was significantly cytotoxic to 13 of 15 solid-tumor cell lines tested and to 7 of 9 hematopoietic malignant cell lines, but not to 2 different normal, nontumorigenic cell lines. TCF-rich supernatants contained low levels of interferon (IFN) activity that were not significantly cytotoxic to A-375 melanoma cells. Human TCF and IFN-.alpha. or IFN-.beta. had additive cytotoxic effects. Apparently, human TCF released by activated human AM may be of potential use in the treatment of malignant disseminated diseases.

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