title: Enrichment of suppressor cell activity by hydrocortisone: suppression of in vitro activation of splenocytes from mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma.
abstract: Suppressor cells in spleens of mice bearing the Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) suppressed the anti-tumor immune response in vivo but not in vitro. The hydrocortisone (HC)-resistant fraction of spleen cells from tumor-bearing mice (TBM) was, on the other hand, suppressive in vitro, due to enrichment for HC-resistant suppressor cells. This cellular fraction suppressed the tumor-induced differentiation of memory cells as well as the tumor-independent in vitro activation of TBM spleen cells. The in vitro lymphoproliferative response of TBM spleen cells to mitogens was also subjected to suppression: these cells showed a lower response to a mitogen such as Concanavalin A (Con A) and were capable of suppressing the response of normal spleen cells to this mitogen. HC treatment of TBM 2 days prior to spleen harvest enriched the splenic population for suppressor cells that suppressed Con A-induced activation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003208:Concanavalin A; D006854:Hydrocortisone