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Department of Otolaryngology, Drew University of Medicine and Science, 1621 E. 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA. mghoneum@ucla.edu
Experiments were carried out to investigate the kinetic characteristics of phagocytosis of candida by metastatic (MCF-7 and ZR-75-1) and nonmetastatic (HCC70) breast cancer cell (BCC) lines. Cancer cells were mixed with candida at a ratio of 1:10 and attachment/phagocytosis were examined using cytospin preparations stained with either Giemsa or tannic acid and May-Grünwald Giemsa and by using flow cytometry. A high attachment of candida to cancer cells (29-39%) was detected as early as 10 min. Following attachment, cancer cells phagocytized yeast. The phagocytic activity of MCF-7 and ZR-75 cells was significantly higher (58-61%) than that of HCC70 cells (26%). A similar trend was observed with respect to the phagocytic index. Phagocytosis of candida by tumor cells was inhibited significantly by both cytochalasin B (50%) and by lowering temperature to 4 degrees C (66%). Phagocytosis was not associated with oxidative burst in any cell lines used. In conclusion, metastatic breast cancer cells possess phagocytic activity which may explain their invasive property.
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