Tumour-associated proliferative responses in vitro of regional lymph nodes draining solid cancers in man.

The proliferative responses in vitro of tumour-draining lymph node lymphocytes were evaluated against autologous colon and lung carcinoma cells. The reactivity of lymphocytes appeared to be directed against tumour-associated rather than tumour-specific antigens. The lymphocyte reactivity detected was not due to an autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction. Recombinant interleukin-2 augmented the responses detected but not their tumour specificity. Phenotypic characterisation indicated the presence of T suppressor/cytotoxic (TS/C) cells as well as natural killer (NK) cells. Only the later, however, were active in functional cytotoxicity assays. The inability to generate both tumour-specific proliferation of tumour-draining lymph node lymphocytes and tumour-specific cytotoxic killer cells may be due to the presence of suppressor cells in the regional lymph nodes; preliminary data suggest the presence of such cells.