Development of convenient method to diagnose tumor by use of Sarcophaga lectin

当鼠巨噬细胞用麻蝇属凝集素（其是从肉蝇幼虫的血淋巴纯化的半乳糖结合凝集素）处理时，发现它们释放细胞毒性活性。这种活性被揭示是由于肿瘤坏死因子（TUF）。当TNF的诱导与正常小鼠和荷瘤小鼠的巨噬细胞相比，后者的巨噬细胞更活跃的生产TNF的存在下Sarcophaga凝集素。基于这些结果，我们试图建立一个简单的程序来比较在肉蝇属凝集素存在下正常小鼠和荷瘤小鼠的巨噬细胞产生TNF的活性。如果该方法有效，就有望在TNF活性方面区分正常小鼠和荷瘤小鼠。某些正常小鼠巨噬细胞的TNF活性比其它荷瘤小鼠的强。因此，肿瘤坏死因子活性作为肿瘤的指标是困难的，我们集中了大量的时间来分析小鼠巨噬细胞表面的麻蝇凝集素受体。通过对肉蝇属凝集素进行亲和层析，可以分离该凝集素受体。该受体由170 kDa和110 kDa的蛋白质组成。当麻蝇属凝集素与巨噬细胞表面的这种受体结合时，发现它们以各种方式被激活。但巨噬细胞活化的分子机制还有待进一步研究。

When murine macrophages were treated with Sarcophaga lectin, which is a galactose-binding lectin purified form the hemolymph of Sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) larvae, they were found to release cytotoxic activity. This activity was revealed to be due to tumor necrosis factor (TUF). When the induction of TNF was compared with macrophages from normal mice and those from tumor-bearing mice, the latter macrophages were much more active in production of TNF in the presence of Sarcophaga lectin. based on these results, we atempted to construct a simple procedure to compare TNF producing activity of macrophages from normal mice and those from tumor-bearing mice in the presence of Sarcophaga lectin. If thes procedure works, it is expected to become possible to discriminate normal mice and tumor-bearing mice in terms of TNF activity.However, it became evident that there is a significant deviation in the activity of TNF depending upon each mouse used. TNF activity of macrophages from some normal mice is moch stronger compared to that of macrophages from other tumor-bearing mice. Thus, it was difficult to ascess TNF activity as an indicator for tumor.We concentrated much time for the analysis of Sarcophaga lectin receptor on the surface of murine macrophages. It was possible to isolate this lectin receptor by use of an affinity chromatography on Sarcophaga lectin. The receptor was found to be consisted of 170 kDa and 110 kDa protein. When Sarcophaga lectin binds to this receptor on the surface of macrophages, they are found to be activated in various ways. But the molecular mechanism of the activiation of macrophages is remaind to be studied.