Hyperphagocytosis and the effect of lipopolysaccharide injection in tumour-bearing mice

(AxT6)F1 hybrid mice received s.c. transplants from (AxT6)F1 mammary carcinomas. At 1, 2 or 4 weeks after tumour transplantation, the mice were bled to obtain plasma and then challenged with 25 micron E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin i.v. The mice were killed 24 hr later, further plasma was obtained and their liver ratios and spleen ratios were determined. A similar procedure was carried out on non-tumour-bearing mice. Progressive tumour growth was associated with an increase in the liver ratio. In parallel, mice with 4-week tumour transplant showed increased uptake of colloidal carbon particles and 51Cr-labelled sheep red blood cells in the liver. The plasma amino aspartate transaminase (AST) and the ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT) showed a constant rise in all groups of mice after LPS injection. However, at 24 hr after LPS injection, the AST level showed the greatest rise in mice with 4-week tumour transplants. By contrast, OCT, which is liberated only from hepatocytes, showed the greatest rise in non-tumour-bearing mice.