Effect of tumor cell culture media and sera from tumor hosts on spreading, phagocytosis, and antitumor cytotoxicity of C. parvum-activated murine macrophages

Abstract

We investigated whether the media of tumor cell cultures and sera from tumor-bearing hosts exert inhibitory effects upon macrophage spreading, phagocytosis, and cytotoxicity. Peritoneal macrophages from normal and Corynebacterium parvum-treated C3Hf/Bu mice were incubated in media from a syngeneic mammary carcinoma, allogeneic Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, and human malignant melanoma or cervical carcinoma cell cultures, or in the serum of hosts bearing these tumors. Such media and sera inhibited the ability of both normal and C. parvum-activated macrophages to spread on glass surfaces and to ingest latex particles. In contrast, they did not interfere with the in vitro destruction of tumorigenic L929 cells by C. parvum-activated macrophages. Media of murine embryo fibroblasts and a human benign tumor and sera from healthy mice or humans did not, however, inhibit either of the macrophage functions tested.