Substance P does not modify mononuclear cell migration into Ehrlich tumor mass

In the present study, seven adult male mice were inoculated with Ehrlich tumor into the footpad after local substance P release was blocked by neurectomy of the sciatic and saphenous nerves. The contralateral footpad was also inoculated but sham-operated, and used as control. This procedure did not modify the percent of CD4+ (about 1-2%), CD8+ (about 1-3%), macrophages (about 21-22%), lymphocyte B (about 0-1%) and NK (about 1-2%) mononuclear cells present among tumor cells. These data suggest that chemotactic activity of substance P may not be relevant in this situation because the lack of this neurotransmitter (checked by immunohistochemistry) secondary to neurectomy did not change the cell migration profile into tumor mass.