Phagocytic activity of the tumor associated macrophages in relation to tumor growth: modulation with levamisole.

The phagocytic activity of the tumor associate macrophages isolated at different days of the growth of a murine transplantable ascites tumor was assessed by measuring the engulfment of Na2 51CrO4 labeled antibody coated sheep erythrocytes. Binding of the targets by the macrophages was also assessed. It was observed that, excepting the day 3, till day 7 of tumor growth the phagocytic activity of the tumor associated macrophages was very high as compared to that of resident macrophages of normal mice. Augmented target binding by the macrophages was recorded till day 7. Levamisole was observed to augment phagocytosis and target binding by the macrophages but a differential requirement as regard to the dose of Levamisole was noted for modulation of phagocytosis and target binding by the tumor associated macrophages at early and advanced stages of the tumor growth.