Cytolysis of B-16 melanoma tumor cells mediated by the myeloperoxidase and lactoperoxidase systems.

Halide-dependent cytolysis of B-16 melanoma cells mediated by myeloperoxidase and lactoperoxidase systems was observed by turbidimetry. A significant decrease in turbidity, which is indicative of cytolysis, was found when a system consisting of myeloperoxidase, a source of hydrogen peroxide (glucose+glucose oxidase), and chloride or bromide were added to a B-16 melanoma cell suspension in the pH 4.7-6.0 region. The myeloperoxidase could be replaced by lactoperoxidase in the system containing bromide, but not that containing chloride. B-16 melanoma cells exposed to myeloperoxidase or lactoperoxidase systems at pH 5.5 or 7.0 were implanted by subcutaneous inoculation into C57BL/6CrSlc mice. After 14 days, a significant suppression of the growth of black tumors was detected in the groups of mice inoculated with melanoma cells exposed to the systems containing myeloperoxidase, glucose, glucose oxidase and chloride or bromide, or the system containing lactoperoxidase, glucose, glucose oxidase and bromide, at pH 5.5, but no significant suppression was observed at pH 7.0. From these findings, we concluded that the exposure of B-16 melanoma cells to a system consisting of myeloperoxidase, hydrogen peroxide (generated by the glucose+glucose oxidase system) and chloride or bromide, or of lactoperoxidase, the hydrogen peroxide and bromide, at moderately acidic pH, causes cytolysis is accompanied by cell death.