[Changes in the vitro membrane potential of cancer cells induced by contact with cytotoxic lymphoid cells].

C R Seances Soc Biol Fil, 1979;173(3):627-31.

Chaubal KA, Firket H

PMID: 160276

Abstract
Plasma membrane potentials have been measured in a cancer cell line at different stages of growth. A chamber has been especially built for pH control of the culture medium during several hours. Individual values spread widely from 14 to 44 mV but low measurements are less frequent after 3 days of culture when the growth rate is at a peak. The same cancer line is grafted serially in syngeneic C 57 bl mice were it induces an immunological sensitization of the lymphnode cells. The effect of such cytotoxic lymphocytes on the membrane potentials of the target tumour cell has been studied after a contact (15 to 90 minutes) too short for any morphological changes to be detectable. There is a decrease in the mean values and a very significant rise in percentage of measurements below 20 mV. No such changes are observed in control experiments where naïve lymphocytes are used. These results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis of an increased permeability of the plasma membrane to ions as an early event in cell mediated cytotoxicity.
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