Effect of colon carcinoma cell supernatants on cytokine production and phagocytic capacity

The ability of colon carcinoma cells to produce IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα, and the effect of tumor cell supernatants (sups) on the capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce these three cytokines was examined. In addition, the effect of colon carcinoma cell sups on the engulfing capacity of phagocytic cells was detected. The results showed that IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα levels were significantly higher in tumor cell sups compared with those of autologous colon mucosal cells obtained from healthy tissue. Tumor cell sups caused a decrease in both phagocytic capacity, and the number of latex particles engulfed by each individual cell.