increased circulating activated t-cells in lung cancer
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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