Immunosuppression Related to Ascitic Fluid in Patients with Ovarian Carcinoma

Abstract

The immune response to SRBC (PFC assay) was suppressed in mice injected with cell-free ascitic fluid from patients with ovarian carcinoma. The immunosuppressive effect of ascitic fluid obtained from stage IV patients was stronger than that of stage III patients. These data were correlated with the patient’s immune status (number of E and EAC rosettes, PHA reactivity of lymphocytes, skin reactivity to recall antigens) and with changes in protein fractions in the serum and ascitic fluid. A good correlation was found between the immunosuppressive effect in the mouse PFC assay and the increased quantity of alpha-1-globulins in ascites. Skin nonreactivity to PPD also correlated with the immunosuppressive effect of ascitic fluid. However, the lymphocyte response to PHA and the numbers of E and EAC rosettes did not correlate either with skin reactivity to recall antigens or with the suppression of PFC response in mice.

Characterization of Immunosuppressive Properties of Malignant Ascites in Ovarian Carcinoma

“…The degree of suppression of anti-tumor immune activity plays an important role in this context. This study on malignant ascites from OC patients confirms and extends on earlier observations regarding its immunosuppressive properties [16,19]. Inhibitory activity in cell-free ascites was observed against both autologous and allogeneic T cells in a concentration-dependent manner.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that ascites in OC patients is immunosuppressive [13], although the exact mechanism has remained elusive. During the 1980's, experiments showed that malignant ascites was inhibitory in both murine and human models, and many attempts were made to identify and isolate the suppressive factor(s) [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Earlier independent assessments have recognized the suppressive substance(s) as haptoglobin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and αglobulin [16,21,22].…”

“…During the 1980's, experiments showed that malignant ascites was inhibitory in both murine and human models, and many attempts were made to identify and isolate the suppressive factor(s) [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Earlier independent assessments have recognized the suppressive substance(s) as haptoglobin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and αglobulin [16,21,22]. Furthermore, the reported characteristics of the inhibiting factor(s) are heterogeneous; the factor(s) have been reported both as heat-stable and heat-sensitive, both high-and low molecularweight, and to be partly resistant against trypsin or protease K treatment [13][14][15]17,20] using different techniques and readouts.…”

Immunoregulatory properties and LP-pattern of human ovarian carcinoma ascites and pleural effusions of nonmalignant origin

“…We reported previously that the immunosuppressive activity in human and mouse ascites [19,18] is associated with the alpha and/or beta protein fraction since it has been precipitated at 50% amonium sulfate saturation. In this investigation we have demonstrated the elevation of VLDL which migrates with the pre-beta fraction.…”