Enhancing T lymphocytes from tumor‐bearing mice suppress host resistance to a syngeneic tumor

The cell‐mediated immune response of animals to a lethal syngeneic tumor was investigated by inoculating C57BL mice with Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) cells T lymphocytes, obtained from the enlarged spleens of the tumor‐bearing mice were found to be cytotoxic to 3LL target cells in vitro. However, we found that such spleen cells enhanced tumor growth in vivo when mice were injected with a mixture of spleen cells and tumor cells. Removal of T lymphocytes by treatment of the spleen cells with anti‐Θ serum plus complement reduced the enhancement of tumor growth. Hence, the tumor enhancing cells, like the cytotoxic cells, appeared to be T lymphocytes. Removal of T lymphocytes from normal mice by adult thymectomy before tumor inoculation led to a reduction in the number of tumor metastases. Thus, enhancing T lymphocytes appear to exist in normal as well as in tumor‐bearing mice. Investigation of this mechanism of tumor enhancement suggested that the enhancing T lymphocytes act as suppressor T cells inhibiting natural immune resistance to tumor growth.

[1]  I. Cohen,et al.  In vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo tumor enhancement induced by mouse spleen cells autosensitized in vitro , 1973, International journal of cancer.

[2]  Arnold E. Reif,et al.  THE AKR THYMIC ANTIGEN AND ITS DISTRIBUTION IN LEUKEMIAS AND NERVOUS TISSUES , 1964, The Journal of experimental medicine.

[3]  B. Rouse,et al.  In vivo activity of in vitro immunized lymphocytes. I. Tumor allograft rejection mediated by in vitro activated mouse thymocytes. , 1972, Journal of immunology.

[4]  K. D. Chandradasa.  The development and specific suppression of concomitant immunity in two syngeneic tumour‐host systems , 1973, International journal of cancer.

[5]  G. Asherson,et al.  Depression of the T Cell Phenomenon of Contact Sensitivity by T Cells from Unresponsive Mice , 1973, Nature.

[6]  E. Klein,et al.  A MICROASSAY FOR CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNITY , 1970, Transplantation.

[7]  I. Cohen,et al.  Recruitment of effector T lymphocytes against a tumor allograft by T lymphocytes sensitized in vitro. , 1973, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[8]  L. Gross.  Effect of Thymectomy on Development of Leukemia in C3H Mice Inoculated with Leukemic “Passage” Virus.∗ , 1959, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

[9]  D. Medina,et al.  Cell-mediated “Immunostimulation” induced by Mammary Tumour Virus-free Balb/c Mammary Tumours , 1973, Nature.

[10]  P. Alexander.  Factors Contributing to the “Success” of Antigenic Tumours , 1971 .

[11]  N. Haran‐Ghera.  Latent period in leukaemia induction by the radiation leukaemia virus. , 1972, Nature: New biology.

[12]  C. Stock,et al.  Studies in a tumor spectrum. III. The effect of phosphoramides on the growth of a variety of mouse and rat tumors. , 1955, Cancer research.

[13]  D. Morton,et al.  Tumor-Specific Inhibition of Growth of Methylcholanthrene-lnduced Sarcomas In Vivo and In Vitro by Sensitized Isologous Lymphoid Cells , 1966 .

[14]  D. Metcalf,et al.  Delayed Effect of Thymectomy in Adult Life on Immunological Competence , 1965, Nature.

[15]  R. Prehn.  The Immune Reaction as a Stimulator of Tumor Growth , 1972, Science.

[16]  B. Rouse,et al.  Tumor immunity to murine plasma cell tumors. II. Essential role of T lymphocytes in immune response , 1973, European journal of immunology.

[17]  H. Wexler.  Accurate identification of experimental pulmonary metastases. , 1966, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[18]  I. Cohen,et al.  Normal T-cell receptors for alloantigens. , 1973, Cellular immunology.

[19]  F. Burnet.  The concept of immunological surveillance. , 1970, Progress in experimental tumor research.

[20]  R. Evans,et al.  Mechanism of Immunologically Specific Killing of Tumour Cells by Macrophages , 1972, Nature.

[21]  J. Levy,et al.  Further evidence for the involvement of thymus-processed lymphocytes in syngeneic tumor cell cytolysis. , 1973, Journal of immunology.

[22]  J. Fahey,et al.  Inhancement activity of mouse immunoglobulin classes. , 1967, Journal of immunology.

[23]  H. Wigzell,et al.  Lymphocyte cytotoxicity in bladder cancer. No requirement for thymus-derived effector cells? , 1973, Lancet.

[24]  P. Alexander.  Immunotherapy of Cancer: Experiments with Primary Tumours and Syngeneic Tumour Grafts , 1968 .

[25]  N. Kaliss.  Immunological enhancement of tumor homografts in mice: a review. , 1958, Cancer research.

[26]  R. Riblet,et al.  ACTIVE SUPPRESSION OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN ALLOTYPE SYNTHESIS III. IDENTITICATION OF T CELLS AS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPRESSION BY CELLS FROM SPLEEN, THYMUS, LYMPH NODE, AND BONE MARROW , 1973 .