Production of a factor inhibiting tumor-cell migration in patients with gastric and breast cancer.

Production of a factor with a biological activity to inhibit the in vitro tumor-cell migration (TCM) from peripheral blood E rosette-forming cells (ERFC), CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in patients with gastric and breast carcinoma was investigated. The cells were stimulated for 2 or 24 hr with allogeneic gastric or breast cancer extracts in samples of cell suspensions. A microculture system at an initial cell concentration from 2,500 cells to 1 cell per well was used. Feeder cells, PHA, IL-2-containing supernatant and cancer extract were added to each well. Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were employed in the migration-inhibition assay. ERFC and CD4+ T cells produced in the culture supernatants a factor inhibiting TCM, when these cells were stimulated with cancer extracts, but not with extracts of benign tissue. Stimulated CD8+ T cells did not produce such a factor. The production of the factor inhibiting TCM in the microculture system was also significantly correlated with the type of cells in the wells, particularly with ERFC and CD4+ T cells, but not with CD8+ T cells (r = 0.94, p < 0.001). It could be suggested that this factor probably took part in in vivo blockading the migration of tumor cells in small cancer foci.