title: Suppressive factor or factors derived from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma induce apoptosis in activated lymphocytes.
abstract: Our laboratory has previously identified a soluble factor derived from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that impairs lymphocyte proliferative responses in vitro. This study further investigates the nature of the interaction between these factors and T lymphocytes. The proliferative activity of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes and the Jurkat T-cell line was significantly suppressed (>50%) by the supernatants of 13 (41.9%) of 31 recently explanted head and neck squamous cell carcinoma samples. A characteristic morphologic appearance of these suppressed cells and ladderlike pattern of DNA fragmentation on gel electrophoresis indicated that the suppressive supernatants were inducing or predisposing T cells to apoptotic death. This apoptosis-inducing activity may be similar to that previously described in a suppressive supernatant obtained from an esophageal carcinoma cell line. These results shed further light on the mechanism behind a soluble immunosuppressive factor or factors produced by head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Billings
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lichtenstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019169:Jurkat Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins