EFFECTS OF CORYNEBACTERIUM-PARVUM TREATMENT AND TOXOPLASMA-GONDII INFECTION ON MACROPHAGE-MEDIATED CYTOSTASIS OF TUMOR TARGET-CELLS

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (6) , 837-846
Abstract
Injection of mice with C. parvum or living or killed T. gondii was studied to determine the efficacy of these treatments in activating peritoneal macrophages to inhibit the uptake of [3H]TdR [thymidine] (cytostasis) by tumor target cells [mouse fibroblast L cells] in vitro. In the presence of activated macrophages from mice treated i.p. with a wide dose range of C. parvum or living Toxoplasma, cytostasis was usually > 99%. This population of activated macrophages was transient in C. parvum-treated mice, but persists, probably for life, in Toxoplasma-infected mice. The i.p. route of administration of C. parvum was more efficient in activating macrophages than the i.v. route, but the s.c. route appeared to be relatively ineffective. Treatment with killed Toxoplasma by any route was also relatively ineffective in activating macrophages. In contrast, Toxoplasma infection resulted in highly activated peritoneal macrophages, regardless of the route of administration. Depending upon the route of initial treatment, the route of readministration of C. parvum had no appreciable effect or resulted in a marked alteration in the cytostatic capacity of peritoneal macrophages.