Increase of T lymphocytes bearing immunoglobulin G receptors during circulation in human renal cell carcinoma.

We studied the membrane markers and functions of lymphocytes from venous and arterial blood in kidneys from patients with renal cell carcinoma. The proportion of T lymphocytes that bore the receptors for the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G increased significantly in venous blood compared to arterial blood in kidneys with tumors. The assay of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity demonstrated that lysis of target chicken erythrocytes was significantly less when caused by lymphocytes from the arterial blood (38 plus or minus 18 per cent, standard error) than those from the venous blood (54 plus or minus 21 per cent) in kidneys with tumors. There was no significant difference in the spontaneous lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity assay between the venous and arterial blood. Increment of the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity seemed to correlate with the increased proportion and absolute number of T lymphocytes bearing immunoglobulin G.