[Influences of inflammatory macrophages on the proliferation of mouse tumor cells in vitro]

Abstract

Augmented growth of tumor cells of both syngeneic and allogeneic origin was often observed when these cells were cocultured with the peritoneal inflammatory macrophages of C57BL/6 mouse, induced by thioglycollate in vitro. While large doses of macrophage-activating factor (MAF) were required for activating these inflammatory macrophages to exert the tumoricidal activity, and much less (suboptimal) doses of MAF were required for activating their cytostatic effect on tumor cells. Whether the macrophage inhibits or enhances the tumor cell proliferation, depends not only on the degree of the activation of macrophage, but also on the macrophage/tumor cell ratio.