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In vitro analysis of cancer prevention by a mycobacterial antigen complex and of cancer-promoted inhibition of immune reactions

  • Original Paper
  • Experimental Oncology
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Abstract

The antigen complex A60 ofMycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin protected mice against experimental tuberculous infection, and prevented cancer development after challenge with EMT 6 cells. Although humoral and cellular immune reactions elicited by A60 in vivo remained unaffected in cases of tumor rejection, they were suppressed in the case of neoplastic growth. In the present work, these in vivo observations were analyzed by in vitro techniques. Activated macrophages played a major role, and cytolytic T lymphocytes a minor role, in A60-promoted cancer cell cytolysis leading to tumor rejection. In vitro, EMT 6 cells weakly inhibited the proliferation of A60-specific B lymphocytes and strongly inhibited the functions of activated macrophages. However, the collapse of both humoral and cellular immune reactions during the course of cancer development was also accompanied by an inhibitory action of EMT 6 cells on the multiplication and functions of A60-specific T lymphocytes. Tumor-dependent repression of macrophage activation was therefore due to both a direct action of tumor cells on macrophages and an indirect one via inhibition of macrophage-activating T cell functions. On the other hand, tumor-induced collapse of the anti-A60 Ig synthesis was mainly due to inhibition of B-cell-activating T cells, with a weaker direct effect of tumor cells on B lymphocytes. Consequently, A60 and tumor cells exert opposite effects on the immune system at several levels.

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Abbreviations

EMT 6 :

mammary KHJJ carcinoma

A60 :

the thermostable macromolecular antigen complex fromM. bovis

PBS :

phosphate-buffered saline

FCS :

fetal calf serum

CTL :

cytotoxic T lymphocytes

TIL :

tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Section, Histology Unit, University of Louvain, GEMO-UCL 5225, Avenue Mounier 52, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Hubert Maes & Carlo Cocito

Authors
  1. Hubert Maes
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  2. Carlo Cocito
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This study was supported by a grant from ANDA Biologicals, Strasbourg, France

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Maes, H., Cocito, C. In vitro analysis of cancer prevention by a mycobacterial antigen complex and of cancer-promoted inhibition of immune reactions. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 122, 727–734 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01209120

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01209120

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