The macrophage electrophoretic mobility assay in patients with renal cell carcinoma

An antigen-induced release of a macrophage slowing factor (MSF) by peripheral blood lymphocytes was used to evaluate lymphocyte sensitization to various antigens in 21 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and in 14 control subjects. Sixteen of 21 patients with RCC, but no controls, were found to be sensitized to a soluble antigen prepared from an allogeneic kidney tumor by 3 M potassium chloride extraction. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from some patients with RCC displayed sensitization to protein isolates from fetal kidney (4 of 19), control "normal" kidney (4 of 21) and urinary bladder carcinoma (3 of 19) tissues. The results of macrophage electrophoretic mobility (MEM) measurements indicate that the MEM assay may provide a means of monitoring immune responses in patients with RCC. Further studies are needed to correlate the immune response detectable by the MEM test with the patient's prognosis.