Leukemia Cell Metabolism in Serum of Normal, Immunized and Leukemic Mice

Abstract

Immunization to transplantable lymphatic leukemia in mice results from the suitable injection of leukemia cells (4), normal cells (6), or embryonic tissue (3). Naturally susceptible mice so treated are resistant to injections of normally lethal doses of leukemia cells. Histologically (5) line I leukemia cells injected into mice immunized to line I proliferate for only a short time at a reduced rate and within four days show degenerative changes. Necrosis begins at the periphery of a lesion before there is any infiltration of host cells (5). These findings suggested that a humoral mechanism might be responsible for the degenerative changes in the leukemic cells inoculated into immunized mice. The purpose of this investigation was to observe the effects of serum of mice immunized to line I transplantable lymphatic leukemia upon the metabolism of line I cells. The metabolism of line I cells in the serum of normal, of line I leukemic, and of line I immunized mice was studied, and a comparison was made with the metabolism of normal lymphoid cells in normal serum and in Ringer solution.