Tumors induce the formation of suppressor endothelial cells in vivo

Patients with solid tumors have defects in immune effector cells, which have been associated with a poorer prognosis. Previous studies by our laboratory have shown that exposure to Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-secreted products induces the formation of suppressor endothelial cells in vitro. The current studies examined if tumors could induce the formation of suppressor endothelial cells in vivo. Endothelial cells were immunomagnetically isolated from the lungs of tumor-bearing mice or normal controls and examined for their ability to modulate NK cell, T-cell and macrophage functions. Compared to normal controls, supernatants from endothelial cells isolated from tumor-bearing lungs had elevated secretion of PGE₂, IL-6, IL-10 and VEGF. Conditioned media from endothelial cells isolated from normal lungs increased CD8⁺ T-cell IFN-γ and CD4⁺ T-cell IL-2 production in response to anti-CD3 stimulation, while media conditioned by endothelial cells from tumor-bearing lungs had a diminished stimulatory capacity. Examination of NK cell functions showed that supernatants from endothelial cells isolated from normal lungs were potent activators of NK cells, as indicated by their secretion of TNF-α and IFN-γ. Endothelial cells isolated from tumor-bearing lungs had a significantly diminished capacity to activate NK cells. Finally, supernatants from endothelial cells of tumor-bearing lungs diminished macrophage phagocytosis compared to either treatment with supernatants of normal endothelial cells or treatment with media alone. The results of these studies demonstrate that tumors induce the formation of suppressor endothelial cells in vivo and provide support for the role of endothelial cells in tumor-induced immune suppression.