Transforming growth factor activity in pleural and peritoneal effusions from cancer and non-cancer patients.

Tests were performed to study the transforming growth factor (TGF) activity in samples of pleural fluid and ascites in patients with solid tumors and non-neoplastic diseases such as congestive heart failure and liver cirrhosis. The measurement of the activity was carried out in terms of colony formation in soft agar with NRK cells as indicator cells. When the fluid samples were directly assayed, 24% (4/17) of the cancer cases and 1 of the 4 control cases were positive. The eluate of Bio-Gel P-60 gel filtration was positive in all cases. beta-Type as well as alpha-type TGF activity was found in pleural and peritoneal effusions not only from cancer patients, but also from patients with non-malignant diseases.