Functional analysis of cells obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of lung cancer patients

Abstract

BALF from tumor segments provides access to immune system cells in contact with lung tumors. We analyzed BALF cells as to their production of H 2O 2 and NO, comparing tumor-affected to non-affected lung segments. Twelve patients were studied (4 NSCLC, 3 SCC, 5 Adenocarcinoma). The cell numbers recovered from BALF varied, and, in adenocarcinoma patients, smaller numbers were recovered from tumor-affected segments. H 2O 2 production (up to 6.3 nmoles/2 × 10 5cells) was obtained in 7/12 patients and, in these, it was more frequent in non-affected segments (7/7) than in affected segments (2/7). After culture, NO production was observed in three patients (6 to 314 μM) that also produced H 2O 2. These functional characteristics of cells in contact with neoplasia may have a role in determining the fate of the interactions between the immune system and lung cancer.