In vitro activation of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages with cisplatin and mitomycin-C

Peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice after treatment for 24 h in vitro with cisplatin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or mitomycin-C were rendered significantly cytotoxic against L-929 tumor target cells. In a similar experiment none of these agents could induce tumoricidal activity of fresh non-adherent bone marrow cells (NABMC). NABMC when incubated in medium alone or in medium containing L-929 culture medium (L-929 CM), a form of macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), for three days matured to macrophages which were positive for non-specific esterase staining. These bone marrow-derived macrophages cultured with medium alone did not respond to cisplatin. LPS or mitomycin-C for induction of tumoricidal activity whereas bone marrow derived macrophages with that were incubated with L-929 CM showed also significantly enhanced cytotoxicity after treatment with cisplatin, LPS and mitomycin-C. Culturing of NABMC with L-929 CM significantly enhanced cell survival as compared to the cells incubated in medium alone. These results suggest that bone marrow cells not only mature in L-929 CM but also are primed by L-929 CM for induction of tumoricidal activity.