Role of alveolar macrophages in tumor-bearing rats: tumoricidal properties of carrageenan-activated macrophages |
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Authors: | A M Bijma T E Stehmann I M Weijma W J Kort |
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Institution: | Laboratory for Experimental Surgery, Erasmus University, Medical Faculty, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. |
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Abstract: | Tumor BN472, a malignant mammary adenocarcinoma, was subcutaneously transplanted into syngeneic female Brown Norway rats. Seven days after tumor inoculation, carrageenan-impregnated synthetic sponges were subcutaneously implanted in control and tumor-bearing rats. Another week later the animals were sacrificed and alveolar macrophages were harvested and tested for tumoricidal activity against a tissue culture line of BN472 cells and their capacity to phagocytose formaldehyde-treated sheep erythrocytes. The data demonstrate that carrageenan statistically significantly enhances the tumoricidal activity of alveolar macrophages in tumor-bearing rats. Phagocytic activity of the macrophages in these animals is not different from sham-operated control animals, whereas the phagocytic activity of tumor-bearing rats is statistically significantly decreased. |
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