Surface glycoproteins of peritoneal macrophages in hamsters bearing transplantable melanomas.

The influence of 2 kinds of transplantable melanomas differing in biological properties on the contents of glycoprotein components and heterogeneity of the surface material in hamster peritoneal macrophages was studied. Distinct changes in the content of protein and glycoprotein components were found. Biochemical differences in the degree of these changes in macrophage surface material in relation to the kind of melanoma were observed. The electrophoretic patterns of the surface material derived from macrophages of hamsters bearing 2 kinds of melanoma showed some differences as well. It has been suggested that these differences seem to be related to the biological properties of the melanoma lines and reflect alterations of macrophage tumoricidal activity.