Abstract
In a microcytotoxicity assay the lymphocytes from cancer patients were tested on autologous and allogeneic tumour cells in vitro. In patients with a variety of tumours, extensive washing of the lymphocytes from those cases with advanced disease was found to greatly enhance their specific cytotoxic effects. This specificity was restricted to autologous tumour cells and allogeneic cells of similar histological origin. This cross-reacting cytotoxicity was not, however, universal, especially in cases of malignant melanoma. The cytotoxicity evoked by washing was abolished by the addition of the patient's serum. This serum effect showed a similar specificity to that found for lymphocyte cytolysis. The effect of washing, and the specific inhibitory effect of serum, was not detectable in early cases of primary malignant melanoma. The serum component responsible for inhibiting lymphocyte cytotoxicity had no detectable affinity for the target cells and appears to act on the lymphocyte surface, implying that tumour antigen may well be implicated.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Alexander P., Bensted J., Delorme E. J., Hall J. G., Hodgett J. The cellular immune response to primary sarcomata in rats. II. Abnormal responses of nodes draining the tumour. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1969 Nov 18;174(1035):237–251. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1969.0090. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Currie G. A., Lejeune F., Fairley G. H. Immunization with irradiated tumour cells and specific lymphocyte cytotoxicity in malignant melanoma. Br Med J. 1971 May 8;2(5757):305–310. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5757.305. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gold P., Freedman S. O. Specific carcinoembryonic antigens of the human digestive system. J Exp Med. 1965 Sep 1;122(3):467–481. doi: 10.1084/jem.122.3.467. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ikonopisov R. L., Lewis M. G., Hunter-Craig I. D., Bodenham D. C., Phillips T. M., Cooling C. I., Proctor J., Fairley G. H., Alexander P. Autoimmunization with irradiated tumour cells in human malignant melanoma. Br Med J. 1970 Jun 27;2(5712):752–754. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5712.752. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sjögren H. O., Hellström I., Bansal S. C., Hellström K. E. Suggestive evidence that the "blocking antibodies" of tumor-bearing individuals may be antigen--antibody complexes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1971 Jun;68(6):1372–1375. doi: 10.1073/pnas.68.6.1372. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Whitehouse J. M., Holborow E. J. Smooth muscle antibody in malignant disease. Br Med J. 1971 Nov 27;4(5786):511–513. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5786.511. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]