increased circulating activated t-cells in lung cancer

30

the non-SCLC group, although not statisti-

cally significant, the percentages of both

IKT3+ and OKT4+ T-lymphocytes in the

peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were

slightly decreased, associated with a slight

decrease in the OKT4+ to OKT8+ T-cell ratio.

In contrast, the PBL of the SCLC patients

showed significantly lower proliferative

responses to phytohemagglutinin and h,,ma,

recombinant interleukin 2 than did the PBL

of both the SCLC patients and the non-cancer

control group. The ability of PBL to produce

lymphokines (interleukin 2 and macrophage

activating factor) was significantly im-

paired in the SCLC group but not in the non-

SCLC group. These results suggest that sup-

pression of helper T-cell functions and/or

potentiation of suppressor T-cell functions

should occur in patients with SCLC.

Increased Circulating Activated T-cells in

Lung Cancer.

Tsuyuguchi, I.~ Shiratsuchi, H., Fukuoka, M.

Osaka Prefectural Habikino Hospital, Osaka

583, Japan. Chest 89: 705-708, 1986.

T-cell activation (Tac) antigens, which

are closely associated with the receptors

for interleukin 2 (IL 2) and expressed on

activated ~m~n T-lymphocytes, are found on

a small percentage of normal peripheral T-

cells. Elevated levels of Tac antigen-

positive (Tac +) cells were observed in a

high proportion of patients with untreated

primary lung cancer assessed by using

monoclonal anti-Tac antibody. The mean per-

centage of Tac + cells in peripheral blood

lymphocytes was 13.1 + or - 6.4 percent in

patients with primary lung cancer (n = 67),

as compared with 4.3 + or - 1.9 percent in

normal controls (n = 30) (p < 0.001). No

significant differences were observed among

the cell types of lung cancer examined

(adenocarcinoma and squamous and small cell

carcinoma). The stages of the disease also

showed no significant differences in the

development of Tac + cells. Our results sug-

gest that T-cell-mediated active inm~ne

mechanisms against malignant cancer cells

are operative in patients with lung cancer,

resulting in an increase in activated T-

cells in the peripheral blood, although it

remains to be elucidated whether these ac-

tivated T-cells exert a favorable or un-

favorable effect on their host.

Functional Characterization of T Lymphocytes

Propagated From ~,,an Lung Carcinomas.

Kurnick, J.T., Kradin, R.L., Blumberg, R. et

al. l~mlnopathology Unit, Department of

Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital,

Boston, MA 02114, U.S.A. Clin. Immunol. Im-

munopathol. 38: 367-380, 1986.

Tissue fragments from biopsies of six

patients with malignant tumors of the lung

were cultured in interleukin 2 (IL-2). Cul-

tures of proliferating lymphocytes were iso-

lated from all cases. Tumor cell lines

(small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma)

were established in parallel cultures from

two of these patients. Lymphocytes that

proliferated in vitro were virtually all ma-

ture T lymphocytes (> 95% T 3+, TII+). The

T 8+ subset accounted for an average of 70%

while T 4+ cells averaged 20% of the cells in

culture. HNK-I antigen was presented on 23%

of cells. Seventy-four percent of cells

expressed la (HLA-DR) antigens. B cells did

not proliferate under these conditions. In

all cases the cells lysed K562 targets and

were active in lectin-mediated cytolysis

against human lymphoblasts. All cultures

produced lymphokines (IL-2 and IFN-gan,na)

when stimulated with PHA. Lymphocytes grown

from a tissue specimen with adenocarcinoma

were capable of killing autologous tumor

cells in vitro. Specific cytotoxicity has

been maintained by these cultured lym-

phocytes for greater than 6 months. IL-2 ac-

tivated peripheral blood cells in this case

showed little specific cytotoxicity for

autologous tumor cells. Lymphocytes from

another specimen of adenocarcinoma also

lysed this tu~or, but cells from the other

four specimens did not. Lymphocytes

propagated from the specimen of small cell

undifferentiated cancer did not lyse

autologous tumor cells. These data show that

primary lung tumors contain activated T

cells which will respond to IL-2 in vitro.

These tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes have

demonstrable function, which can include

cytolytic activity against autologous lung

tumor.

Biosynthesis of Procalcitonin in Small Cell

Carcinoma of the Lung.

Cate, C.C., Pettengill, O.S., Sorenson, G.D.

Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Medical

School, Hanover, NH 03756, U.S.A. Cancer

Res. 46: 812-818, 1986.

In~unoreactive calcitonin (CT) secreted

by DMS 53, a cell line derived from human

small cell carcinoma of the lung, consists

almost entirely of molecular species larger