A Study of Tumor Allograft-Sensitized Lymph Nodes in Mice

Abstract

Abstract The activity of lymph node cells sensitized to a tumor allograft was studied by adoptive transfer into recipient mice syngeneic with the lymph node cell donors. The results depended upon the time interval between sensitization and transfer. Lymph node cells harvested early (3, 5 and 7 days) after sensitization caused accelerated tumor allograft rejection, whereas cells harvested on days 12 and 14 transferred tumor graft enhancement. The peak activity of accelerated rejection was found in cells sensitized for 5 days and the peak of enhancement activity was transferred with 14-day immune cells. At a time intermediate between the peaks of opposing activities a dose-related dual function was discovered. Large doses of lymph node cells caused rejection, and smaller doses produced enhancement. Humoral antibodies against the tumor allograft in lymph node cell donor and recipient mice were assayed by the in vitro cytotoxicity method. Negative or low antibody levels were found in the sera of mice that donated or received lymph node cells capable of transferring rejection. High antibody levels were found in the sera of donors or recipients of lymph node cells that mediated enhancement. A correlation of the rise of humoral antibody titers in donor mice with increased enhancement activity suggests that lymph node cells mediate this activity by continued synthesis of enhancing antibody in recipient mice.