Cancer research
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Macrophages in the presence of bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimuli produce a soluble cytotoxin which is toxic to tumor cells. In this study, we examined various parameters of cytotoxin production from pulmonary lavage cells obtained from Fisher 344 cesarean-derived rats. Cultures of macrophages were derived from pulmonary lavage cells and stimulated in vitro with LPS. ⋯ Similarly, using a direct cytotoxicity assay, lung macrophages of smoke-exposed animals also revealed marked impairment in cytotoxicity against L-929 cell targets, and this was noted over a wide range of macrophage:tumor target cell ratios. Another product of macrophages, interferon, was also decreased in rats exposed in vivo to cigarette smoke when compared to sham-treated controls. These results suggest that cigarette smoke exposure may impair pulmonary macrophage-mediated tumor defense mechanisms.