Natural Cell-Mediated Immunity

Summary.-Previous studies of natural killer (NK) activity in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients have failed to show a reduction in cytotoxicity, an observation at variance with results obtained in other malignancies. Interpretation of the data however is complicated by the presence of treated and post-mastectomy patients in the groups studied.In this study, lymphocytes from preoperative blood samples of untreated women with benign and malignant breast disease were tested at various effector-to-target ratios for cytotoxicity activity against the NK sensitive erythromyeloid cell line, K562.A significant reduction in NK activity was observed between carcinoma patients and the control group (P=0.02). When the carcinoma group was further divided into pre-and postmenopausal patients, the reduction was found to be a feature only of premenopausal women (P=0.002). The levels of NK activity in patients with benign breast disease were not significantly different from those in controls, irrespective of menstrual status. There was no correlation between NK activity and tumour size, oestrogen-receptor or lymph-node status in the carcinoma patients. A preliminary analysis of NK activities in the control group suggests that women donating blood in the first half of their menstrual cycle show significantly reduced NK activity in comparison with those in the second half (P=0.001). This finding, coupled with the variation in NK activity shown between pre-and postmenopausal breast carcinoma patients, suggests that hormonal effects in conjunction with malignancy determine the level of NK activity in breast cancer.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Natural killer (NK) activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with benign and malignant breast disease

White¹,

Jones²,

Cooke³

et al. 1982

“…In this paper we describe macrophages from many mouse colonies that are already cytotoxic. We present some properties of these natural cytotoxic macrophages and compare them with those of natural killer cells (reviewed by Herberman & Holden, 1978). Finally we discuss factors which might give rise to the expression of natural cytotoxicity.…”

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confidence: 99%

Natural cytotoxic macrophages in the peritoneal cavity of mice

Pels¹,

Otter²

1979

Summary.-Many strains of mice from various breeding institutes have natural cytotoxic macrophages. These macrophages can also be present in nude mice, suggesting that this cytotoxicity can be acquired without involvement of T cells.The natural cytotoxicity was non-specific for tumour cells, was not sensitive to trypsin treatment, was lost after 5 days incubation, but could be enhanced by foetal bovine serum.The presence of cytotoxic macrophages in the peritoneal cavity was not genetically or age controlled.Natural cytotoxic macrophages did not occur in germ-free mice. The possible causes of natural cytotoxicity are discussed.

“…While certain expressions of natural cellular immunity such as NK activity decline with aging (Herberman & Holden, 1978), the titre of naturally occurring anti tumour antibodies (NATA) frequently increases with age (Colnaghi et al, 1979;Witz et al, in press). The decline in NK activity in mice over the age of 6 months may contribute to the enhanced growth of certain transplanted tumours in such mice (Haller et al, 1977).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

B16 melanoma development, NK activity cytostasis and natural antibodies in 3 and 12 month old mice

Ehrlich¹,

Smorodinsky²,

Efrati³

et al. 1984

Summary Three types of natural immune responses against malignant cells were studied in vitro: Cytotoxicity mediated by splenic NK cells; cytostasis mediated by splenocytes and binding of naturally occurring antibodies to various tumour targets. These responses were studied in untreated 3 and 12 month old mice and in mice of both age groups inoculated with B16 melanoma cells. The results showed that in normal mice NK activity decreases with age, cytostatic activity remains unchanged and the titre of natural antibodies increases.Twelve-month old mice were shown to be appreciably more resistant than 3 month old mice to the development of tumours from subthreshold numbers of B16 tumour cells.In mice injected with threshold amounts of the B16 tumour, there was no change in any of the responses in the tumour-free period, but there was a decrease in NK activity and an increase in cytostatic activity when a large tumour mass developed. An increase in the titre of natural antibodies in young mice injected with the tumour was also seen. The correlation between these changes and tumour appearance and development is discussed.