Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the effect of T cell co-culture on mitomycin C treated and untreated Tenon’s capsule fibroblasts.

Methods: IL-2 dependent allogeneic T cells were incubated over a monolayer of mitomycin C treated or control fibroblasts. Fibroblast numbers were evaluated by direct counts using phase contrast microscopy. To determine whether T cell mediated lysis was a consequence of MHC mismatch, co-culture experiments were repeated with autologous T cells. The effect of Fas receptor blockade was established by co-incubation with a Fas blocking (M3) antibody.

Results: T cell co-culture resulted in a dramatic reduction in fibroblast survival compared to mitomycin C treatment alone (p = 0.032). T cell killing required fibroblast/lymphocyte cell to cell contact and was observed in both allogeneic and autologous co-culture experiments. Fas blocking antibodies did not significantly inhibit T cell killing (p = 0.39).

Conclusion: T cells augment mitomycin C treated fibroblast death in vitro. Similar mechanisms may contribute to the cytotoxic effect of mitomycin C in vivo and account for the largely hypocellular drainage blebs that are observed clinically.