In vitro immunisation against human tumour cells with bacterial extracts

Abstract

LYMPHOCYTES from normal persons can become immunised to a variety of tumour cells by exposure to tumour cells in vitro1–5. Since close antigenic relationships between microorganisms and some tumour cells have been demonstrated6–9, studies were carried out to see if bacterial antigens could similarly immunise lymphocytes from normal persons in vitro against some tumour cells. The experiments reported here indicate that not only is this possible, but that the cytotoxicity of bacterial immunised lymphocytes is sometimes greater than when lymphocytes are sensitised by intact tumour cells.