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Tumor-specific changes in mouse serum during Ehrlich carcinoma growth.
S M Sitdikova1, B S Amandzholov, V Yu Sel'chuk
1N. N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow.
Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
|August 26, 2003
Summary
Proteinase activity that removes tumor cell antigens disappears from the serum of mice with Ehrlich carcinoma. This suggests tumor-specific changes in serum protease activity during cancer progression.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Tumor cells possess unique antigenic determinants on their surface.
- Serum proteases can modify or eliminate these antigenic determinants.
- The role of serum protease activity in tumor progression is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in serum proteinase activity against tumor cells during Ehrlich carcinoma development.
- To determine if this proteinase activity is specific to Ehrlich carcinoma.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytofluorometry was used to measure proteinase activity.
- Sera from mice with Ehrlich carcinoma, other tumors, and healthy mice were analyzed.
- Proteinase activity was assessed against Ehrlich carcinoma cells.
Main Results:
- Proteinase activity eliminating antigenic determinants from Ehrlich carcinoma cells was absent in the serum of mice with the tumor.
- This specific proteinase activity was present in healthy mice and mice with other transplanted tumors.
- Serum from one strain of mice with Ehrlich carcinoma lacked protease activity against Ehrlich carcinoma cells in another strain.
Conclusions:
- Ehrlich carcinoma growth is associated with tumor-specific alterations in serum.
- These alterations lead to the disappearance of specific serum protease activity against tumor cells.
- This suggests a potential mechanism for immune evasion by Ehrlich carcinoma.