Immunosuppressive activity of human neuroblastoma tumor gangliosides

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Abstract
Gangliosides are shed in substantial amounts by some tumors, including human neuroblastoma, and these molecules modulate experimental tumor formation in vivo. We now demonstrate that neuroblastoma tumor gangliosides have potent immunoregulatory activity. Gangliosides of every one of 17 tumors studied were highly inhibitory for the normal in vitro human lymphoproliferative responses to the soluble antigen, tetanus toxoid; 30 nmol ganglioside/ml caused 43% to >99% inhibition and the mean concentration causing 50% inhibition was only 17.3 nmol/ml. Furthermore, gangliosides isolated from clinically more aggressive tumors (Stage III or IV) were up to twice as immunosuppressive as those of the generally less aggressive tumors (Stage I or II) (pin vivo is through abrogation of the host cellular immune response at the site of tumor formation.