Suppressor leukocytes in anergic patients with solid tumors.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Cellular Biology

Background:

• Anergic patients with solid tumors exhibit impaired lymphocyte proliferation.
• The role of suppressor cells in this immunodeficiency is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and activity of suppressor cells in anergic patients with solid tumors.
• To determine if suppressor cells contribute to impaired T cell responses in these patients.

Main Methods:

• Assays for prostaglandin-producing suppressor cells.
• Assays for short-lived suppressor cells.
• Concanavalin A-induced suppressor cell assays.

Main Results:

• No increased activity of prostaglandin-producing suppressor cells was detected.
• Short-lived suppressor cell activity was not significantly elevated compared to controls.
• Concanavalin A-induced suppressor cell activity was not enhanced.

Conclusions:

• The in vitro T cell immunodeficiency in these cancer patients is not attributed to conventional suppressor cells.
• Other mechanisms, such as loss of responder cells, may underlie the immune deficiency in solid tumor patients.