Inhibition of lymphocyte mitogenesis by factor(s) released from macrophages isolated from ascitic fluid of advanced ovarian cancer patients

Summary Ascitic fluid from women with advanced ovarian carcinomas was shown to contain factor(s) which inhibit(s) T lymphocyte mitogenesis. The factor(s) was (were) demonstrated to be associated with the infiltrating macrophages. The inhibition was reversible and inhibited mitogenesis at some late event in the cell cycle. The inhibitory substance(s) was (were) noncytotoxic, dialyzable, heat-stable at 70° C for 10 min (but unstable at 100° C for 15 min), and partially resistant to protease treatment (55%–70%). Further experiments demonstrated that macrophages isolated from the ascitic fluid of patients with cirrhosis of the liver also released factor(s) which inhibit(s) T lymphocyte mitogenesis. On the basis of our data and data from other investigators, we propose that in advanced human ovarian cancer of epithelial origin, macrophages which infiltrate the ascitic fluid elaborate nonspecific inhibitors of T lymphocyte blastogenesis within the proximal environment, resulting in localized immunosuppression and the subsequent enhancement of metastasis within the peritoneal cavity, the tumor cells themselves being resistant to the cytocidal action of the macrophages due to genetic selection and/or their inherent biochemical ability to circumvent normal immunosurveillance mechanisms. This may account, at least in part, for the rapid metastasis and poor prognosis of human ovarian adenocarcinomas.     

Inhibition of interleukin 2 production by factors released from tumor cells

In previous studies, cultured melanoma cells were shown to have a suppressive influence on the induction of cytotoxic T cells. Our investigation of the mechanism of these effects revealed that supernatants from certain cultures of melanoma cells contained inhibitory activity against the production of interleukin 2 (IL 2) from phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated cultures of lymphocytes. These supernatants did not inhibit interleukin 1 production, and also did not inhibit the mitogenic activity of performed IL 2 on IL 2-dependent target cells. Production of the inhibitory activity could be reduced by inhibitors of protein synthesis, but this activity was not inhibited by digestion with the proteolytic enzymes trypsin or pronase. Gel filtration analysis of tumor supernatants revealed that the majority of the inhibitory activity was detected in fractions of approximately 44 and 7 Kd. The addition of supernatants with inhibitory activity to PHA-stimulated cultures of lymphocytes was associated with reduced transition of cells from G1 to S phase of cell division, which could be reversed by the addition of IL 2. Preliminary studies suggest that the release of the factor(s) from melanoma cells may be related to rapid progression of tumor growth in patients, and therefore may be of prognostic significance in tumor host relationships.     

Inhibition of lymphocyte mitogenesis by autoxidized low-density lipoprotein.

Mitogenic stimulation of lymphocytes is significantly inhibited by addition of human serum low-density lipoprotein that has undergone autoxidation, while no significant effect is seen with non-oxidized lipoprotein. The inhibition is effective for cells stimulated either by the plant lectin phytohemagglutinin or enzymatically by neuraminidase-galactose oxidase treatment. However, it is markedly attenuated when oxidized LDL is added to cells which have been triggered 24 hours earlier. Lipid extracts from oxidized LDL are similarly inhibitory, indicating that the effect is mediated by an oxidized lipid fraction.     

Inhibition of lymphocyte mitogenesis by an arachidonic acid hydroperoxide

Incubation of murine spleen cells with the oxidation product of soybean lipoxidase-treated arachidonic acid results in profound inhibition of induction of proliferation and maturation of these cells. The active entity was shown to be the 15-hydroperoxide of arachidonic acid (15-HPAA). Inhibition of the enzymes of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway fails to disturb this effect, indicating that 15-HPAA is not a substrate for this series of enzymes. 15-HPAA produced in this manner interfered with RNA synthesis, DNA synthesis, and blastogenesis, while failing to exert cytotoxic effects on the cells themselves. A variety of lymphocyte subpopulations, distinguished by their responsiveness to a diverse group of mitogens, were all equally inhibited by the addition of 15-HPAA to culture. Addition of this agent even as late as 24 h after initiation of culture resulted in profound inhibition of the proliferative and differentiative responses of splenic B cells to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Exposure of cells to 15-HPAA for 10–30 min was adequate to initiate inhibition, an event that exhibited marked temperature dependence. The effects of pre-incubation with 15-HPAA could not be reversed in its absence in recovery periods of up to 6 h prior to addition of LPS. The implications of these data with reference to cellular activation mechanisms are discussed.     

Suppressor T lymphocyte induction by a factor released from cultured blastocysts

For the analysis of immunologic escape mechanisms of embryos during the implantation period in mice, the effects of culture supernatant of blastocysts on in vitro responsiveness to alloantigen of mice was investigated. Blastocyst-cultured conditioned medium was prepared by culturing late blastocysts of outbred ICR mice for 5 days. The addition of culture supernatant containing four or eight blastocysts to allogeneic mixed lymphocyte culture inhibited both the MLR responses and the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Preincubation of the culture supernatant with lymphocytes syngeneic to the responder cells of MLR induced potent suppressor cell activity in the MLR. The supernatant did not inhibit the activity of CTL at the effector phase, but preinduced suppressor cells obtained by incubation of splenocytes with the supernatant showed almost complete suppression of CTL activity at the effector phase. Both of the suppressor cells, active on MLR and at the generation phase of CTL as well as active at the effector phase, had a surface phenotype of Thy-1+ and Ig-. The suppressive material could be extracted from the eight-cell stage of fertilized ova or blastocysts but not from unfertilized ova, indicating that the production of the factor(s) is dependent on the stages of early embryogenesis. These results suggest that the active induction of suppressor T lymphocytes by the factor(s) released from implanted embryos is one of the protective mechanisms from maternal immunologic attack.     

Stimulation of bone resorption in vitro by a non-prostanoid factor released by human monocytes in culture

Cultured human monocytes produce a non-prostanoid factor which stimulates bone resorption in vitro. Production of the factor is not dependent on prostaglandin synthesis, but stimulation of resorption by the factor does involve prostaglandin production by bone. Salmon calcitonin inhibits the stimulatory activity by up to 80%. Production of the factor is not increased by the presence of lymphocytes in the monocyte cultures. Partial purification of the bone-resorbing activity by Ultrogel ACA 54 chromatography shows that it has an apparent molecular weight between 12 000 and 20 000. We suggest that the resorptive activity is due to an interleukin 1-like factor rather than an osteoclast activating factor.     

Inhibition of in vitro granulopoiesis by autologous allogeneic human NK cells

This study demonstrates the ability of human NK cells to inhibit in vitro granulopoiesis of autologous and allogeneic BM cells. NK lytic activity and GM-CFC inhibition was present among nonstimulated lymphocytes from healthy donors and could be increased by treatment of PBL with IFN. Both the cytotoxic NK cells and the GM-CFC inhibitory cells could be enriched for among nonadherent, low-density cells. High-density cells were not cytotoxic, only inhibitory to a small extent, and could become neither cytotoxic nor more inhibitory after IFN treatment. In contrast, low-density cells showed an increased cytotoxic and GM-CFC inhibitory capacity after IFN treatment. The NK mediated GM-CFC inhibition was dependent on cell contact with BM cells, increased with longer preincubation times, and was most efficient against 7-day GM-CFC as compared with 14 day GM-CFC progenitors. In conclusion, these data provide new information about the human NK cell as a potent inhibitor of in vitro granulopoiesis and also as a possible regulator of hematopoiesis in vivo.     

Inhibition of the mixed lymphocyte culture by peritoneal exudate cells.

Inhibition of mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) by macrophages and by supernatants of short term cultured macrophages was assessed by incorporation of ³H-thymidine (TdRH3) and also by blast cell counts and by determination of cellmediated lympholysis. Peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) induced by thioglycollate, at concentrations >10%, inhibited all three parameters of MLC. Lower concentrations of PEC, and supernatants from cultured PEC, inhibited TdRH3 incorporation, but had no significant effect on blast cell counts or on generation of cytotoxic effector cells. Inhibition by the supernatants could be reversed by dialysis or by use of low specific activity TdRH3. These data indicate that macrophages can inhibit proliferative responses in MLC, but that this must be carefully distinguished from selective inhibition of TdRH3 incorporation.     

Cell to substratum adhesion-promoting activity released by normal and virus-transformed cells in culture

It is demonstrated here that cultured fibroblasts release into their medium a nondialyzable, protease-sensitive factor(s) capable of promoting the adhesion and spreading of virus-transformed rat fibroblasts on a plastic substratum. A relatively sensitive biological assay is described for quantitation of the adhesion-promoting factor (APF) activity in serum-free, conditioned medium harvested from the cultures. Evidence is presented which indicates that the primary mode of action of the APF is by binding to and modifying the properties of the substratum. Conditioned media harvested after 24 h of incubation in similarly populated cultures of normal fibroblasts of diverse animal species exhibited similar levels of APF activity. However, conditioned media obtained from Rous sarcoma virus (Prague strain)-transformed and avian sarcoma virus B77-transformed rat fibroblasts exhibited three- to sixfold lower levels of APF activity than media conditioned in parallel cultures of heterologous or homologous normal fibroblasts. Cultivation of B77 virus-transformed rat cells in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline led to as much as a sevenfold increase in the level of APF activity appearing in the culture medium, with a concomitant increase in the adhesiveness of the cells to the culture substratum. The results support the role of extracellular macromolecules in cell to substratum adhesion. It is postulated that the reduced adhesiveness of transformed cells to a substratum may be at least partially owing to a deficiency in the production and/or release of APF-like macromolecules.     

Materials released into culture medium by normal and oncogenic virus-transformed mammalian cells

Materials released into culture medium by transformed and untransformed baby hamster kidney cells labelled with glucosamine, sulfate, fucose or leucine were characterized. Some of the components could also be labelled by iodination of intact cells, indicating their surface origin. Analysis on gradient polyacrylamide sodium lauryl sulfate gels demonstrated that a group of high apparent molecular weight glucosamine-labelled components were more abundant in materials released from Rous sarcoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells than from baby hamster kidney cells or polymo virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells. The relative rates of release of glucosamine-labelled components from transformed and untransformed cells were similar except that the transformed baby hamster kidney cells released some large molecular weight components slightly more rapidly than baby hamster kidney cells. Treatment of labelled medium materials with testicular hyaluronidase removed much glucosamine label from the materials but did not affect the amounts of other labels. After treatment with hyaluronidase, the patterns of labelled conditioned media from both transformed and untransformed baby hamster kidney cells were qualitatively and quantitatively very similar, suggesting that the differences seen in untreated labelled conditioned media were due to the presence of hyaluronidase-sensitive materials associated with medium materials rather than to actual differences in glycoproteins.     

Regulation of lymphocyte blastogenesis and antibody production by soluble factor released by a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line

Yam 1B, a human B lymphoblastoid cell line, spontaneously produced an immunoregulatory factor, which suppresses blastogenesis and antibody formation by human lymphocytes. The Yam 1B cells, which were derived from the peripheral blood of an adult T-cell leukemia patient, have been established and maintained in our laboratory since 1985. This cell line expressed mature B-cell surface antigens including surface immunoglobulin M (IgM), CD23, and HLA-DR; had cytoplasmic IgM; and secreted small amounts of IgM in the culture supernatants. Yam 1B was positive for Epstein-Barr virus-associated antigen (EBNA) but negative for adult T-cell-associated antigen (ATLA). The serum-free Yam 1B culture supernatants (SN) inhibited the expression of transferrin R, but neither the expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) R(CD25) nor the production of IL-2 in the lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutin. Yam 1B SN also inhibited DNA synthesis by human T and B lymphocytes and immunoglobulin generation by normal B cells as well as by Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B lymphoblastoid cell lines. The inhibitory activity of Yam 1B SN was inactivated at 56 degrees C and at pH 10 but was relatively stable at pH 2. It was abrogated by digestion with pronase and was partially stable by digestion with trypsin. Fractions collected from a Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration column (Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Uppsala, Sweden) were found to have a peak of inhibitory activity of cell proliferation associated with molecules of apparent MWr of 43,000 to 67,000. The inhibitory activity of Yam 1B SN was not blocked by the anti-transforming growth factor beta antibody.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Post-secretory deiodination of iodothyronines released from normal human thyroid cells in vitro

The stability of tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) in the presence of isolated, cultured normal human thyroid cells has been investigated by radioimmunoassay of the culture medium at intervals to 120 hours.T3 and T4 were both progressively degraded in the presence of cells, and although no significant deiodination was produced by fresh culture medium, the medium withdrawn from confluent cell cultures at 120 hours was capable of degrading subsequently - added iodothyronines.These findings provide evidence for the in vitro release of an iodothyronine deiodinase, and this is discussed in terms of the net decrease in medium iodothyronine levels observed in earlier studies of in vitro T3 and T4 release.     

Thyrotropin is a potent growth factor for normal human thyroid cells in primary culture

We have developed primary cultures of epithelial follicular cells from normal human thyroid tissue, in low serum or serum-free conditions, which allow the in vitro experimentation of the hormonal control of growth. In sharp contrast with several previous studies, thyrotropin (100 microU/ml) potently stimulated the DNA synthesis and proliferation of these cells. These effects were partly reproduced by cyclic AMP agonists. Human thyroid cell proliferation was also increased by serum, epidermal growth factor and a tumor promoting phorbol ester.     

Changes in deoxyadenosine production during human lymphocyte mitogenesis

Immunodeficient children who lack the purine metabolic enzyme adenosine deaminase have markedly elevated plasma concentrations of 2'-deoxyadenosine and adenosine. However, little information exists concerning the magnitude of endogenous 2'-deoxyadenosine and adenosine synthesis by normal human hematopoietic cells. In the present experiments, we have used the sensitive technique of high performance liquid chromatography to quantitate changes in 2'-deoxyadenosine and adenosine production during human lymphocyte mitogenesis. In the presence of the adenosine deaminase inhibitor deoxycoformycin, human T lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and non-T lymphocytes stimulated with formalinized Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I, excreted 2'-deoxyadenosine into the cell medium. The nucleoside was detectable as early as 20 h after addition of mitogen. The time course of 2'-deoxyadenosine excretion correlated with the uptake of [methyl-3H]thymidine into nucleic acid. Mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes produced only minimal amounts of adenosine. The results suggest that increased 2'-deoxyadenosine synthesis and release may normally accompany human lymphocyte mitogenesis.     

Inhibition of lymphocyte transformation responses to phytohemagglutinin by normal human plasma.

Marked variability in lymphocyte transformation responses to a suboptimal phytohemagglutinin concentration (0.1 μg/ml) was observed when peripheral blood mononuclear cells of normal subjects were cultured in media containing 15% autologous plasma. Low responses were related to the plasma and were caused by direct inhibition rather than an inability to support the response. This inhibitory activity varied greatly among different plasma specimens and was also found in human and animal serum. It appeared to be specific for suboptimal concentrations of phytohemagglutinin and could be overcome by increasing the mitogen concentration. The inhibitory activity was heat stable, was not dialyzable, and appeared to affect a very early stage of the response since a delay in addition of the inhibitory plasma reversed its effect. Our interpretation of these results is that human plasmas vary greatly with respect to their ability to bind phytohemagglutinin so that the addition of different plasmas to lymphocyte cultures stimulated by a limiting concentration of phytohemagglutinin results in marked variability of the results obtained.     

Materials released into culture medium by normal and oncogenic virus-transformed mammalian cells.

Materials released into culture medium by transformed and untransformed baby hamster kidney cells labelled with glucosamine, sulfate, fucose or leucine were characterized. Some of the components could also be labelled by iodination of intact cells, indicating their surface origin. Analysis on gradient polyacrylamide sodium lauryl sulfate gels demonstrated that a group of high apparent molecular weight glucosamine-labelled components were more abundant in materials released from Rous sarcoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells than from baby hamster kidney cells or polyoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells. The relative rates of release of glucosamine-labelled components from transformed and untransformed cells were similar except that the transformed baby hamster kidney cells released some large molecular weight components slightly more rapidly than baby hamster kidney cells. Treatment of labelled medium materials with testicular hyaluronidase removed much glucosamine label from the materials but did not affect the amounts of other labels. After treatment with hyaluronidase, the patterns of labelled conditioned media from both transformed and untransformed baby hamster kidney cells were qualitatively and quantitatively very similar, suggesting that the differences seen in untreated labelled conditioned media were due to the presence of hyaluronidase-sensitive materials associated with medium materials rather than to actual differences in glycoproteins.     

Inhibition of normal lymphocyte responses by cell membranes

Cell membranes bearing the appropriate antigen are known to stimulate a variety of cell-mediated immune responses. This report confirms that tumor cell membranes at doses of 2-5 micrograms protein/ml will stimulate in vitro generation of allogeneic cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). However, higher doses (50-100 micrograms protein/ml) of the same membranes completely abrogate the generation of lytic activity. Responding lymphocytes are inhibited by membranes from either syngeneic or allogeneic cells. The inhibition appears to act at a proliferative or differentiation step in the generation of the CTL response, since membranes are known to have little direct effect on the lytic phase of CTL activity. Similar doses of membranes also inhibit LPS-induced B-cell proliferation. B-Cell proliferation is inhibited equally well by allogeneic and syngeneic membranes, and membranes from normal spleen cells are as inhibitory as tumor cell membranes. The inhibitory activity copurifies with the plasma membrane. The results raise important considerations regarding the use of subcellular forms of antigen in studies of lymphocyte recognition. In addition, these data suggest that cell-cell contacts might provide signals regulating the proliferation of lymphocytes.     

Regulation of human T lymphocyte mitogenesis by antibodies to CD3

The inhibitory and mitogenic effects of anti-CD3 antibodies (anti-CD3) were examined in cultures of human peripheral blood T cells. Resting T cells required the presence of accessory cells (AC) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) to be stimulated by soluble anti-CD3 (OKT3 and 64.1). Anti-CD3 was unable to induce activation of AC-depleted T cells as determined by IL 2 receptor expression, IL 2 production, cell cycle analysis, or detectable DNA synthesis. Although T cell responses to PHA also required AC, far fewer were necessary to generate responses. Anti-CD3 inhibited PHA-stimulated T cell IL 2 production, IL 2 receptor expression and proliferation in partially AC-depleted cultures. Moreover, anti-CD3 was able to inhibit PHA responses when added to culture as late as 24 to 42 hr after the initiation of a 96-hr incubation. Increasing concentrations of PHA reduced the inhibitory effect of anti-CD3 on PHA-stimulated T cell proliferation, whereas IL 2 production remained suppressed. Anti-CD3 linked to Sepharose beads effectively inhibited PHA-stimulated T cell DNA synthesis, indicating that internalization of the CD3 molecule was not required for inhibition of PHA responses. Although inhibition of IL 2 production was a major effect of anti-CD3 in PHA-stimulated cultures, it was not the only apparent inhibitory effect because the addition of exogenous IL 2 could not prevent inhibition completely. Intact AC but not IL 1 also reduced anti-CD3-mediated inhibition of PHA responsiveness, whereas the addition of both IL 2 and AC largely prevented inhibition. Thus, anti-CD3 in the absence of adequate AC signals exerted a number of distinct inhibitory effects on mitogen-induced T cell activation. These results suggest that the CD3 molecular complex may play a role in regulating T cell responsiveness after engagement of the T cell receptor by a number of mechanisms, some of which involve inhibition of IL 2 production.