title: Tissue distribution of adoptively transferred adherent lymphokine-activated killer cells assessed by different cell labels.
abstract: Assessment of the tissue distribution of adoptively transferred adherent lymphokine-activated killer A-LAK) cells by use of 51Cr indicated that these effector cells, after an initial phase in the lungs, distributed in high numbers to liver and spleen (30% and 10% of injected dose, respectively). However, when this experiment was repeated with 125IdUrd as cell label, fewer than 2% and 0.5% of the injected cells distributed into liver and spleen respectively. To analyse this discrepancy, we compared the tissue distribution of 51Cr- and 125IdUrd-labelled A-LAK cells with that indicated by alternative direct visual methods for identification of the injected cells, such as fluorescent dyes (rhodamine and H33342) or immunohistochemical staining of asialo-GM1-positive cells. The number of i.v. injected A-LAK cells found in the liver by all visual methods ranged from 1% to 5% of the injected dose, supporting the data obtained with 125IdUrd, whereas 25%-30% of the 51Cr label was consistently found in this organ. Autoradiography of the liver 24 h after i.v. injection of 51Cr-labelled cells revealed a background activity that was four- to fivefold higher than the control level, indicating substantial non-specific accumulation in the liver of 51Cr released from A-LAK cells. We conclude that 51Cr cannot be reliably used in investigations of cell traffic to the liver because of non-specific accumulation of the 51Cr label, particularly in this organ. In contrast, labelling with 125IdUrd or rhodamine and immunohistochemical staining of asialo-GM1-positive cells appear to be reliable and essentially equivalent methods for investigations of the fate of adoptively transferred A-LAK cells. Using these methods, we found that only few A-LAK cells redistribute to the liver upon i.v., i.e. systemic, injection, whereas 40%-50% of locally (intraportally) injected A-LAK cells remain in the liver for at least 24 h.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, PA 15213.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Basse
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Herberman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hokland
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D001212:Asialoglycoproteins