IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN BALB-C MICE BEARING THE PLASMACYTOMA TEPC-183 - MASSIVE INCREASE IN RED PULP MACROPHAGES INDUCED BY THE TUMOR

Abstract

An increase was found in total macrophage numbers in the spleens of BALB/c mice bearing the plasmacytoma TEPC-183 compared with controls. The increase was confined to red pulp macrophages; the number of white pulp macrophages and of macrophages which took up hydroxyethyl starch was normal. This increase in red pulp macrophages may account for the suppression of primary immune responses caused by spleen cells from TEPC-183 bearing mice. This effect may be due to increased numbers of normal macrophages rather than the generation of distinctive suppressor macrophages as suggested previously.