Lymphocytes infiltrating human breast cancers lack K-cell activity and show low levels of NK-cell activity

Abstract

Summary.-Lymphocytes infiltrating human primary mammary carcinomas lack ADCC and show low levels of natural cytotoxicity. The peripheral blood lymphocytes, however, show a variable but prominent level of cytotoxicity. Lymphocyte preparations from breast tumours, when mixed with autologous blood lymphocytes, significantly suppress their prominent killer-(K-and NK-) cell activities.

Expression of MHC products and leucocyte differentiation antigens in gynaecological neoplasms: An immunohistological analysis of the tumour cells and infiltrating leucocytes

“…This conclusion is in concordance with earlier functional and morphological data on a variety of tumours from several laboratories (Moore & Vose, 1981;Eremin et al, 1981;Pizzolo et al, 1984) and on ovarian cancer, in particular (Introna et al, 1983;Kabawat et al, 1983). The implications are that NK cells, which are maximally expressed in blood and spleen rarely extravasate and any direct anti-tumour activity is consequently very limited or non-existent.…”

Expression of major histocompatibility antigens and leucocyte infiltration in benign and malignant human breast disease

“…Even so, there are likely to be few: since up to 60% of HNK1 + cells are also OKM1+ (Abo et al, 1982a) it would appear that most of the OKM1 + cells in the tumours are macrophages. This conclusion accords with functional studies conducted with lymphoid cells recovered from freshly disaggregated neoplasms wherein breast, in common with other solid tumours has generally disclosed low or non-existent levels of NK activity, (Vose et al, 1977;Totterman et al, 1978;Moore & Vose, 1981;Eremin et al, 1981;Introna et al, 1983). The recent availability of McAbs with greater selectivity for NK cells should allow further examination of this question (Perussia et al, 1983a, b …”

Lymphoreticular cells in human brain tumours and in normal brain

“…The precise function(s), however, of these lymphoreticular cells, and in particular their anti-tumour role in man, is still poorly defined (Vose & Moore, 1979; Rhodes, 1980;Eremin et al, 1981a). The brain, which lacks a conventional lymphatic system and has a so-called blood-brain barrier, has for many years been regarded as an "immunologically privileged site" (Medawar, 1948;Scheinberg et al, 1964Scheinberg et al, , 1965Morantz et al, 1978).…”