concanavalin-a and Breast-Diseases

Placental isoferritin (PLF), an acidic isoform of ferritin, and its unique superheavy chain of 43 kDa (p43) has been described to be synthesized by human breast cancer cells. Physiologically, p43 PLF produced by the placenta is involved in immune suppression of maternal lymphocytes aimed at fetal antigens. A study was carried out to elucidate a paradigm of p43 occurrence in breast cancer patients. Immunosuppression of cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes was measured via inhibition of blast transformation in concanavalin A (ConA) stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) using 3H-thymidine uptake in vitro. PBLs were cultivated from 29 women having benign lesions in the breast as well as from 41 patients with breast adenocarcinoma. In breast cancer patients addition of p43 significantly inhibited the activation of lymphocytes proliferation by ConA compared to women with benign tumors. The addition of indomethacin or levamisole did not influence this inhibitory effect of p43 in breast cancer patients. Presence of interleukin-2 in cultures was able to overcome the inhibitory effect of p43 on CD8+ lymphocytes proliferation from women having breast adenocarcinomas and to increase its value in patients with benign lesions.

Topics: Antigens, Neoplasm; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Immune Tolerance; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes; Mitochondrial Proteins; Peptide Elongation Factor Tu

In healthy adults, tumor cells stimulate the cellular immune defense mechanisms: natural killer (NK), antigen-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL), and synthesis of antigen-specific cytotoxic antibodies, all aimed at the destruction of the intruding tumor cells. The experiments described in this study examined responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocyte mononuclear (MNC) cells, natural killer (NK) cells, T-helper (THC) cells, and NILL (cells obtained from patients with advanced breast cancer) cells from 10 of each age-matched subjects from 10 healthy adults and patients, 10 with benign breast diseases (BBD), and 10 from patients from each of the breast carcinoma pathological stage BCa PS I, BCa PS II, BCa PS III, and BCa PS IV. Cellular responsiveness to graded levels of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and recombinant interleukin-2(r IL-2) was monitored by 3H-thymidine (3H-TdRO) uptake, production, and release of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) and cytotoxic activities against K-562 and breast carcinoma (BCa) short-term cell lines. Suppressed cellular responsiveness is caused by the lack of functional IL-2R in peripheral blood lymphocytes with metastatic breast carcinoma (MBCa). This is confirmed by suppression of the anti-Tac antibodies binding and lack of cellular mRNA encoding IL-2R.

Topics: Adult; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Line; Concanavalin A; Glycosylation; Humans; Interleukin-2; Killer Cells, Natural; Phytohemagglutinins; Poly A; Receptors, Interleukin-2; Recombinant Proteins; RNA; RNA, Messenger

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 14 women with untreated breast cancer and 5 patients with non-malignant breast disease were studied for concanavalin-A (Con A) inducible suppressor activity against proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Six of 14 patients with breast cancer demonstrated deficiency of suppressor cell activity against proliferation of autologous lymphocytes to PHA. This is in contrast to only 1 of 5 patients with benign breast disease who demonstrated deficiency of inducible suppressor activity. No correlation was observed between the deficiency of suppressor cells and the presence or absence of metastasis in the regional lymph nodes. The significance of these observations is discussed.

Topics: Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; In Vitro Techniques; Lymphocyte Activation; Phytohemagglutinins; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory