[Immunomodulating activity of natural killers in patients with breast tumors using vasopressin and interleukin 2 in vitro]. / Immunomoduliatsiia aktivnosti estestvennykh killerov u bol'nykh s opukholiami molochnoi zhelezy s pomoshch'iu vazopressina i interleikina-2 in vitro.

The study included 10 female donors, 12 patients with benign and 59 with malignant tumors of the breast at various stages before and after treatment. The immunomodulating effect of vasopressin and interleukin-2 on blood-natural killer functional activity was studied in vitro. Vasopressin dose of 4 x 10(-1) IU/5 x 10(5) cells exerted an immunosuppressive effect while 4 x 10(-5) IU/5 x 10(5) cells stimulated immunity. The stimulating effect of optimal interleukin-2 dosage (20-40 U/5 x 10(5) cells) on natural killer functional activity appeared 1.5-2-times higher than that optimal vasopressin dose (4 x 10(-5)/5 x 10(5) cells). Combined administration of the agents was not followed by increase in overall effect. Sensitivity of blood-natural killer cells in breast cancer patients to vasopressin and interleukin-2 depended upon clinical pattern, stage of tumor and treatment modality.

[Functional activity of the natural killers and macrophages in patients with breast tumors]. / Funktsional'naia aktivnost' estestvennykh killerov i makrofagov u bol'nykh pri opukholiakh molochnoi zhelezy.

The activity of natural killers (NK) and macrophages of peripheral blood was studied in 37 female donors, 40 patients with benign and 43 with malignant tumors of the breast of various stages prior to treatment. Also the effect of Soviet-made recombinant interleukin-2 on NK activity was assessed. Natural killer activity (cytotoxic index) was 34.1 +/- 1.42 in healthy donors, 44.2 +/- 3.64 in cases of fibroadenomatosis, 43.1 +/- 5.6 in patients with stages I-IIa, 64.4 +/- 3.93--stage IIb, 45.8 +/- 6.32--stage III and 16.6 +/- 7.21% in cases of stage IV breast cancer, the scatter of values being greater in the tumor group. As many as 40% of patients with stages I-IIa and III cancer showed increased NK-activity values. An in vitro stimulating effect of NK activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by Soviet-made recombinant interleukin-2 was established.