Tumor cells expressing membrane-bound TNF activate macrophages.

2003 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Tumor cells expressing membrane-bound tumor necrosis factor activate macrophages and have a compromised growth in immunosuppressed and immunodeficient mice.

According to recent research from Hungary, "Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha producing tumors as vaccines were demonstrated to induce a therapeutic anti-tumor immune response, but their clinical use is limited by the toxicity of soluble TNF. We investigated the growth characteristics and immunomodulatory properties of HeLa cells producing an uncleavable transmembrane form of TNF (preTNF)."

"The growth of the transformed tumors was compromised in both immunosuppressed and severe combined immunodeficient mice; no signs of TNF toxicity were detected," reported Tunde Nagy and colleagues at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, University of Debrecen, and Szeged University. "Macrophages co-cultured with the transformed cells showed increased phagocytosis and cytokine production, indicating that activated macrophages may ...