title: Cytotoxic effects of activated alveolar macrophages on lung carcinoma cells via cell-to-cell contact and nitric oxide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is possible that macrophages may be effective for cancer treatment because once activated, lung macrophages have enhanced contact with lung tumor cells and have a cytotoxic effect. In this paper, we report that nitric oxide (NO) produced by lung macrophages activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) suppressed cell growth of human lung adenocarcinoma cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  A549, a lung adenocarcinoma cell line, was cultured with NR8383, a rat alveolar macrophage cell line, in the presence and absence of LPS. The effect of LPS on the growth rate of A549 cells was examined as a function of NO production under cell-to-cell contact conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NR8383 cells showed potent cytostatic and cytocidal effects on A549 cells when both cells were co-cultured in the presence of LPS. These effects were mainly due to the production of NO, but another possible mechanism, such as cell-to-cell contact, may also be involved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Activation of alveolar macrophages by LPS suppresses the growth of lung carcinoma cells via NO production under cell-to-cell contact conditions.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawachi
authors.forename: Yasuteru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inagawa
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kohchi
authors.forename: Gen-Ichiro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terada
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D002455:Cell Division; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000276:immunology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide