title: Human alpha 2-macroglobulin: a major serum factor cytotoxic for tumor cells.
abstract: Human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) was established here as a major serum factor which inhibits the DNA synthesis of a mouse ovarian tumor cell line in culture. This inhibitory activity was species non-specific, dose-dependent and unaffected by serum concentrations in culture. alpha 2 M was cytotoxic to both murine and human tumor cell lines in culture, as determined by 2 different viability staining techniques, morphological observation and long-term in vitro culture. This report implicates alpha 2 M or an alpha 2 M-associated substance as a major cytotoxic serum factor that may be involved in endogenous cancer control processes in mammalian species.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins