Induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in macrophages incubated with tumor cells.

The cellular and molecular interaction between monocyte/macrophage and tumor cells leading to macrophage activation is not clearly understood. Since protein tyrosine phosphorylation appears to be a major intracellular signalling event, we checked whether the tumor cells alter tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in macrophages. We found that both L929 and Yac-1 tumor cells induced increased tyrosine phosphorylation of several polypeptides in peritoneal as well as P388D-1 and IC-21 macrophages. Macrophages co-cultured with tumor cells also showed increased fluorescence with anti-phosphotyrosine-FITC antibody. These observations suggest that increased tyrosine phosphorylation plays a role in tumor cell-induced activation of macrophages.