Tumor cell phagocytosis and cytotoxicity of lymphoblastoid cells following concanavalin A treatment.

Cell-to-cell interaction was investigated in various malignant tumor cells (human ovarial tumor, lung cancer, carcinoma of larynx and hamster melanoma cell) and in human lymphoblastoid cells (T-cell (MOLT-4 cell), thymoma cells and B-cells (Burkitt lymphoma cell)). Live lymphoblastoid cells did not adhere to the cell surfaces of tumor cells nor the lymphoblastoid cells were ingested by tumor cells without immunologic and specific treatment. Tumor cells as well as T-cells and B-cells had receptors to concanavalin A on their surfaces, and they showed marked cell binding of tumor cells and lymphoblastoid cells. Moreover, tumor cells that phagocytized lymphoblasts underwent marked cell destruction within 4 hours of cell binding. The cytolytic mechanism of the target tumor cell was probably related to contact with the lymphoblastoid cells and was increased by ingestive activity, and metabolic disturbance by lymphotoxin in tumor cells.