title: Deficient superoxide-generating activity and its activation of blood monocytes in cancer patients.
abstract: Superoxide (O2-)-generating activity of blood monocytes, the precursors of macrophages, from patients with advanced cancer and/or infection was studied. Monocytes from normal subjects generated 0.288 +/- 0.022 nmol O2-/min/10(5) cells (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 36) after sequential stimulation with cytochalasin E and wheat germ agglutinin. Monocytes from 69 non-infected adult patients with advanced malignancy of the stomach, esophagus and liver, and 7 pediatric patients with neoplastic disease released significantly less O2- than those from normal subjects (0.176 +/- 0.015, P less than 0.005). Infection increased the activity about 4-fold in patients with malignancy compared to non-infected cancer patients. These results suggest that monocytes of cancer patients are defective in secreting O2-, though the activity may be stimulated by infection.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003572:Cytochalasins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000097:blood; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D013481:Superoxides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003572:Cytochalasins; D037102:Lectins; D013481:Superoxides; C007215:cytochalasin E