The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 70, 613-618, Copyright © 1975 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Lymphocyte responses of lung cancer patients to tumor-associated antigen measured by leucine incorporation
JA Roth, EC Holmes, AW Boddie Jr and DL Morton
Lymphocyte responses to lung carcinoma-associated antigens were assessed by
measuring 3H-leucine incorporation in 20 lung cancer patients, 37 patients
with other neoplasms, and 20 normal subjects. Antigens were prepared from 9
lung carcinomas by means of 3M KCl extraction. Fifteen of 20 lung cancer
patients showed increased leucine incorporation to one or more tumor
antigens, whereas only 5 of 20 normal subjects responded. Lymphocyte
responses to both autologous and allogeneic tumor extracts were observed.
Eighteen lung cancer patients were tested with the most reactive antigen
and 13 responded. Seven of 37 patients with other neoplasms and 2 of 18
normal subjects reacted to this antigen. Significantly more lung cancer
patients reacted to the tumor extract than to an extract of uninvolved lung
from the same patient. The reactivity of lymphocytes from lung cancer
patients clinically free of disease was significantly greater than that of
patients with disseminated disease. Extraction of lung carcinomas with 3M
KCl is a useful technique for solubilizing tumor-associated antigens (TAA).
Antigenic activity may be followed in vitro by measuring lymphocyte
3H-leucine incorporation.