Winn Test Research Articles

Improvement of Antitumor Therapies Based on Vaccines and Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitors by Counteracting Tumor-Immunostimulation.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors and antitumor vaccines may produce both tumor-inhibitory and tumor-stimulatory effects on growing tumors depending on the stage of tumor growth at which treatment is initiated. These paradoxical results are not necessarily incompatible with current tumor immunology but they might better be explained assuming the involvement of the phenomenon of tumor immunostimulation. This phenomenon was originally postulated on the basis that the immune response (IR) evoked in Winn tests by strong chemical murine tumors was not linear but biphasic, with strong IR producing inhibition and weak IR inducing stimulation of tumor growth. Herein, we extended those former observations to weak spontaneous murine tumors growing in pre-immunized, immune-competent and immune-depressed mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the interaction of specifical T cells and target tumor cells at low stimulatory ratios enhanced the production of chemokines aimed to recruit macrophages at the tumor site, which, upon activation of toll-like receptor 4 and p38 signaling pathways, would recruit and activate more macrophages and other inflammatory cells which would produce growth-stimulating signals leading to an accelerated tumor growth. On this basis, the paradoxical effects achieved by immunological therapies on growing tumors could be explained depending upon where the therapy-induced IR stands on the biphasic IR curve at each stage of tumor growth. At stages where tumor growth was enhanced (medium and large-sized tumors), counteraction of the tumor-immunostimulatory effect with anti-inflammatory strategies or, more efficiently, with selective inhibitors of p38 signaling pathways enabled the otherwise tumor-promoting immunological strategies to produce significant inhibition of tumor growth.

Bypassing tumor-specific and bispecific antibodies: triggering of antitumor immunity by expression of anti-FcgammaR scFv on cancer cell surface.

We have developed a novel immunostimulatory molecule against tumor cells, composed of an anti-FcgammaRIII (CD16) scFv fused to the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) transmembrane region. This fusion molecule was stably expressed on the tumor cell surface and retained the ability of the parental antibody to bind soluble CD16. Tumor cells expressing anti-CD16 scFv triggered the release of IL-2 by Jurkat-CD 16/gamma cells and of TNFalpha by monocytes when co-cultured with these cells. Furthermore, NK cells could kill scFv-transfected HLA+ class I H1299 lung carcinoma tumor cells, but not the parental cells, indicating that anti-CD16 scFv tumor expression prevents the killer inhibitory receptor (KIR)-mediated inhibition of NK cell cytotoxicity. This anti-CD16 scFv tumor expression also enhanced tumor phagocytosis by IFNgamma-activated macrophages, a mechanism known to induce a protective long-term adaptative immunity to tumors. In vivo Winn tests performed in SCID mice showed that the expression of anti-CD16 scFv on tumor cells, but not of the negative control anti-phOx scFv, prevented tumor cell growth. Thus, expression of FcR antibodies or other FcR-specific ligands on tumor cells represents a novel and potent antibody-based gene therapy approach, which may have clinical applications in cancer

Regression of established mouse leukemia by GM-CSF-transduced tumor vaccine: implications for cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and tumor burdens.

This study investigated the therapeutic effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on a mouse leukemia model. By using a retroviral vector, mouse GM-CSF cDNA was transduced into a highly tumorigenic T leukemia cell line, RL male 1. Injection of GM-CSF-secreting RL male 1 cells into syngeneic BALB/c mice elicited protective immunity in the animals, which could regress preestablished tumors introduced either by a subcutaneous or in an intravenous route. However, the therapeutic effects were less prominent in the mice inoculated with a large tumor load or in mice treated later. Winn tests further demonstrated that the splenocytes from the late-treated group conferred poorer protective effects in terms of reducing the growth of parental RL male 1 cells in naive mice than the splenocytes from the early-treated group. Nonetheless, upon stimulation in vitro, the activity of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) was comparable in the splenocytes of both groups of mice. Histological analysis also indicated that the CD8+ T cells appeared as early as 3 days following vaccination at the vaccine sites and at the tumor sites in both groups of mice. Above observations implied that the T cells in the animals bearing large tumors appeared to be in a state of suppression or anergy. Systematic histological analyses for 2 weeks provided further insight into various infiltrates at the vaccine sites and at the tumor sites in response to the inoculation of GM-CSF-secreting tumor vaccine.

Antitumor activity of Hypsizigus marmoreus. II. Preventive effect against lung metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma

Antitumor activity of Hypsizigus marmoreus, an edible mushroom, was investigated by in vivo bioassay. The aqueous extract, hereinafter referred to as YH, was tested against syngeneic tumor, Lewis lung carcinoma. YH was found to give a significant increase in life span when assayed using a solid tumor, Lewis lung carcinoma, by intraperitoneal administration, but not as much by oral administration. It was also found that YH have an inhibitory activity of spontaneous tumor metastasis in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma by intraperitoneal administration. YH significantly decreased the number of metastasized nodules. It was suggested by Winn test that antitumor and antimetasatic activities shown by YH was effective in increasing activity on immunological by competent cells.

Preventive effect of a synthetic immunomodulator, 2-carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide, on the generation of suppressor macrophages in mice immunized with allogeneic lymphocytes.

The effect of 2-carboxyethylgermanium sesquioxide (Ge-132) on the generation of splenic suppressor macrophages (S-M phi) in C3H/He mice (H-2k) immunized with allogeneic spleen cells from C57Bl/6 mice (H-2b) was investigated. We have previously demonstrated that S-M phi expressing I-J antigen, which appeared during alloimmunization, inhibited cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) generation in the MLR and the elimination of these S-M phi before subjection to the MLR resulted in more effective generation of CTL. The CTL activity, which was determined in vivo by the Winn's test, was markedly enhanced when immunized mice received a 100 mg/kg dose of Ge-132. The compound was found to be the most efficacious when injected simultaneously with the immunization. The activity of allospecific CTL co-cultured with M phi fractions obtained from immunized mice in a 4-h 51Cr-release assay was shown to be 31% lysis of the target cells as compared with 90% lysis of the target cells in effector cells co-cultured with normal M phi fractions. In contrast, effector cells co-cultured with M phi fractions from Ge-132-treated immunized mice lysed 95% of the target cells. Analysis of the level of I-J antigen expression on macrophages (M phi) obtained from mice 7 days after immunization revealed a > 2.5-fold increase, whereas I-A antigen expression remained constant when compared with splenic M phi from naive mice. In contrast, the opposite effect on I-J and I-A antigen expression was observed in splenic M phi from alloimmunized mice treated with Ge-132. These results suggest that Ge-132 could regulate CTL generation in alloimmunized mice by preventing the generation of I-J+ S-M phi.

Residual immunity of athymic NCr/sed nude mice and the xenotransplantation of human tumors

This study assessed the residual immunity possessed by NCr/Sed (nu/nu) athymic nude mice and examined strategies to reduce it in order to enhance the transplantability of human tumors for experimentation. Adult (8-week-old) female mice had fewer T cells (11%) and more B and NK (asialo-GM1-positive [ASGM1+]) cells in their spleen than euthymic (nu/+) controls. The number of phenotypically mature T cells increased with age, peaking at 16 weeks. ASGM1+ cells also increased in number over time, although the NK-activity decreased after 12 weeks. B cells remained relatively constant in number. Athymic NCr/Sed nude mice displayed reactivity against a human squamous carcinoma xenograph (FaDu), in a Winn's test and TD50 assay. Immunity against xenografts (TD50 assay) was significantly lower (by a factor of 2) in 4-week-old than in 12-week-old nude mice. Similarly, a significant 2-fold reduction in TD50 was obtained after a single intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide into 8-week-old animals. Chronic (greater than 8 weeks) exposure of the nude mice to subcutaneously administered beta-estradiol markedly reduced the number of splenic NK cells and their cytolytic activity, but the TD50 reduction was not statistically significant (p = 0.1). Six Gray whole-body irradiations (WBI) had been shown to produce a highly significant, 3-fold reduction in the TD50 for FaDu. Flow cytometric analysis of splenic lymphoid cells from whole-body-irradiated recipients revealed: (a) marked initial depletion in the absolute numbers of lymphoid cells; (b) marked and long-lasting depletion of T cells, with slow and minimal recovery only evident between 6 and 12 weeks; (c) rapid, almost complete, depletion of B cells with prompt and partial recovery after 2 weeks; (d) depletion of NK cells and NK activity, with recovery by 10 weeks. No change in the number or phagocytic capacity of resident peritoneal macrophages was seen. These data give further support to a postulated role for residual T cells in the xenoreactivity of NCr/Sed nude mice.

Increased Production of Cytotoxic Macrophage Progenitors by Lactobacillus casei in Mice

Heat-killed Lactobacillus casei YIT9018 (LC9018), when administered intravenously to normal mice, induced increase in Mac-1+ cells and Mac-2+ cells but not in Mac-3+ cells in spleen. The number of both populations changed in the same time course and was maximal 14 d after the administration. To know the effect of LC9018 on hematopoietic progenitor level, we examined the number of macrophage colony-forming cells (M-CFC), granulocyte-macrophage CFC (GM-CFC), and colony-forming units in spleen (CFU-S) in bone marrow 3 d after the administration. LC9018 stimulated the proliferation of M-CFC but not that of GM-CFC and CFU-S. LC9018-induced M-CFC were similar to normal M-CFC in dependence on macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and buoyant density. M-CFC-derived macrophages cultured in the presence of M-CSF expressed Mac-1 and Mac-2 but not Mac-3. They showed cytotoxic activity against syngenic tumor cells, Meth A, via direct contact, when assayed by using an in vitro colony inhibition assay or an in vivo Winn test. These results indicate that LC9018 stimulates the proliferation of cytotoxic macrophage progenitors in bone marrow and induces their differentiation in spleen. These effects may be one of the ways in which LC9018 suppresses tumor growth.

Potentiation of combination effect of cisplatin and radiation--application of biological response modifiers

The combination antitumor effect of three kinds of biological response modifiers (lentinan, PSK and juzentaiho-to) was evaluated in the treatment of IMC solid carcinoma with CDDP (9 mg/kg) and/or radiation (1000 rad). Remarkable antitumor effects were observed in the lentinan (2 mg/kg, daily) group to which a single dose of CDDP was given 24 hours before irradiation. On the other hand, combined therapy with CDDP and radiation alone showed less antitumor effect. No antitumor effect was observed in the groups treated with biological response modifiers (BRM) alone. Winn's test was performed to investigate the level of immunity on each treatment group. Mice were inoculated with the admixtures of immunized spleen cells and IMC carcinoma cells at a ratio of 200:1. Tumor growth was completely suppressed in the groups of CDDP and lentinan with or without radiation even on the 41st day after inoculation. These results are strongly suggestive of potentiation of the immunity of tumor bearing mouse by the combined use of lentinan. Histopathological evaluation also revealed a potent antitumor effect of combined use of lentinan. Since host immunity is known to be suppressed in the tumor bearing state, combined use of BRM in chemo-radiotherapy must play an important role in the treatment of malignant tumor.

Essential requirement of I-A region-identical host bone marrow or bone marrow-derived cells for tumor neutralization by primed L3T4+ T cells.

The antitumor activity of Meth A-hyperimmunized BALB/c mouse spleen cells (Meth A-Im-SPL) was assayed by the Winn test in H-2 incompatible bone marrow chimeras in closed colony CD-1 (nu/nu), inbred DDD/1(nu/nu) (H-2s), or inbred BALB/c(nu/nu) (H-2d) mice as recipients. We found that Meth A-Im-SPL suppressed Meth A growth in the chimera nude mice which were reconstituted with bone marrow cells of the H-2d haplotype (i.e., BALB/c, DBA/2 and B10.D2), but not in the chimeras which were reconstituted with bone marrow cells of the H-2a, H-2b, or H-2k haplotype (i.e., B10.A, B10, and B10.BR). These results suggested that H-2 restriction occurred between Meth A-Im-SPL and bone marrow or bone marrow-derived cells in tumor neutralization. Furthermore, Meth A-Im-SPL did not suppress Meth 1 tumors (antigenically distinct from Meth A tumors) in the presence or absence of mitomycin C-treated Meth A in a Winn assay. These results suggested that there is tumor specificity in the "effector phase" as well as in the "induction phase". The phenotype of the effectors in the Meth A-Im-SPL was Thy-1.2+ and L3T4+, because Meth A-Im-SPL lost their antitumor activity with pretreatment with anti-Thy-1.2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and complement or anti-L3T4 mAb and complement, but not with anti-Lyt-2.2 mAb and complement or complement alone. Positively purified L3T4+ T cells from Meth A-Im-SPL (Meth A-Im-L3T4), obtained by the panning method, suppressed the tumor growth in the chimera nude mice which were reconstituted with bone marrow cells of B10.KEA2 mice (that were I-A region-identical with Meth A-Im-L3T4 cells but not others in H-2) as well as B10.D2 cells (that were fully identical with Meth A-Im-L3T4 cells in H-2). We conclude that Meth A-Im-SPL (L3T4+) neutralized the tumors in collaboration with I-A region-identical host bone marrow or bone marrow-derived cells, and the neutralization was not accompanied by the "bystander effect."

Immunogenic capacity of tum--variants isolated from a rat rhabdomyosarcoma.

An increasing number of reports highlight the fact that tumour cells are able to give rise in vitro to immunogenic variants, which are defined in vivo as being non tumorigenic, tum-. We have observed the emergence of immunogenic variants, derived from a primary nickel-induced rat rhabdomyosarcoma established in culture (RMS 9-4/0), resistant to treatment with the chloronitrosourea, chlorozotocin (CZT) (R-lines). They were separated from the whole population of cells by a cloning procedure. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the cloning procedure by itself allows the isolation of tum- variant designated as C-lines. In both cases, the tum- phenotype was observed after s.c. injection of cells into syngeneic rats with a broad range of R9 or C8 cells (10(4) to 10(7). This characteristic was inherited in a stable manner. Athymic mice developed tumours of rat rhabdomyosarcoma origin when grafted with 10(5) cells. Immunization of rats with one R variant (R9) tum- protected the rats grafted with the parental RMS 9-4/0 cells against metastatic invasion of the lungs, but not against local tumour growth, and rats grafted with a CZT-resistant tum+ cell variant S4T (in vivo-derived) against its hepatic and pulmonary metastases, while the local tumour progressed as usual. Immunization of rats with one C variant (C8) tum- cells did not protect them against either metastases or local growth of the implanted tumours. Both R and C lines cells became progressively resistant to NK- and macrophage-induced cytotoxicity. Splenic lymphocyte transfer from immune rats into nude mice, i.e., the Winn test, showed a complete degree of protection against C8 or R9 tumour growth. We conclude that two different antigenicities were revealed, one common to R9 and C8 cells in relation with their selection procedure by repeated cloning. Another antigenicity appeared in the R9 line, selected by CZT-resistance. The anti R9 cell immunization against CZT-resistant tum+ S4T could argue in favour of CZT action in the acquisition of R9 cell antigenicity. More likely, an amplification of antigens rather than induction of a new antigen could explain the protection of anti R9 immunized rats against parental tumour metastases.

The collaboration of H-2 identical bone marrow cells in in vivo antitumor activity of immune mouse splenocytes.

Antitumor activity of Meth A-immune BALB/c mouse spleen cells (Meth A-Im-SPL) was assayed by a Winn test in CD-1(nu/nu) or BALB/c(nu/nu) chimeric mice which were reconstituted with the bone marrow cells of various strains of mice. It was found that Meth A-Im-SPL (L3T4+ T cells) neutralized the tumor in collaboration with H-2 compatible bone marrow or bone marrow-derived cells.

Alloantigen-activated lymphocytes from mice bearing a spontaneous "nonimmunogenic" adenocarcinoma inhibit its growth in vivo by recruiting host immunoreactivity.

Nylon wool columns eluting lymphocytes from the spleen of mice bearing a clinically evident spontaneous, nonimmunogenic adenocarcinoma of recent origin (TS/A) do not display cytotoxic response, release of lymphokines, and proliferation in vitro against TS/A cells, nor do they inhibit TS/A tumor growth in a Winn-type neutralization assay in vivo. After 5-day co-culture with allogeneic spleen cells from mice differing at multiple minor histocompatibility antigens only, these lymphocytes are still noncytolytic against TS/A cells, whereas they release interferon-gamma, mediate delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions, and inhibit TS/A tumor growth in the Winn assay. In the Winn test, alloactivated lymphocytes from TS/A tumor-bearing mice are more effective than those from normal mice on a per cell basis. The induction of this TS/A tumor inhibition ability depends on the presence in the cultures of Thy-1+ lymphocytes. The presence of Lyt-2+ lymphocytes is also important, whereas that of asialo GM1+ is not. The TS/A inhibition in vivo by alloactivated lymphocytes mostly depends on Thy-1+, Lyt-2- and asialo GM- lymphocytes, even though a few Thy- cells are also very efficient tumor inhibitors. The alloactivated lymphocytes inhibit TS/A tumor growth by recruiting the radiosensitive effector mechanisms of the recipient mice required for ultimate tumor rejection. TS/A tumor rejection leaves a specific DTH and an immunologic memory resulting in rejection of a second lethal TS/A challenge in a significant number of mice.

Anti-tumour effect of humoral and cellular immunities mediated by a bacterial immunopotentiator, Lactobacillus casei, in mice.

Administration of a mixture containing Lactobacillus casei YIT 9018 (LC9018) and methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma (Meth A) cells into the peritoneum of syngeneic BALB/c mice suppressed the tumour growth and protected the mice from tumour death. With the appearance of the anti-tumour activity, serum complement-dependent tumour cytotoxic (CDC) antibody was induced on the 5th day after the administration as a result of the adjuvant effect. The cytotoxic antibody was not found in serum on the 5th day after inoculation of Meth A cells alone, but it was induced before the mice died of the tumours. Adjuvant induction of the cytotoxic serum antibody at an early time was also observed using Kirsten murine sarcoma virus-transformed tumour (K234) cells. Both of these cytotoxic antibodies in sera from Meth A-suppressed and the tumour-bearing mice were specific for the tumour cells and were IgM class, since they were absorbed with rabbit anti-mouse IgM antibody. However, the cytotoxic antibody was not found in the peritoneal cavity which was the tumour inoculation site, but binding antibody against the tumour cells was faintly detected in the region using an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). In neutralization tests, the cytotoxic antibody did not exert anti-tumour activity in recipient mice when it was administered to the mice along with the tumour cells or when it was administered i.v. at the time of tumour inoculation. Moreover, the cytotoxic antibody was not available for the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). These results suggest that the cytotoxic antibody did not exert anti-tumour activity in the tumour-suppressed mice. In contrast, peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) on the 5th day, and PEC and spleen cells on the 15th day after i.p. administration of the mixture exerted strong anti-tumour activity as measured by the Winn test. In conclusion, the adjuvant effect of LC9018 induced tumour-specific humoral and cellular immunities but the anti-tumour activity was dependent only on the cellular effectors of the host. The possible use of LC9018 in tumour immunotherapy is discussed.

Cross-reactive cellular and humoral immunity to carcinogen-induced chicken fibrosarcomas. I. Protective cross-immunity between transplantable tumor lines.

Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced transplantable fibrosarcomas in B2 homozygous chickens (SC line) grow progressively in normal chickens, but are rejected by chickens immunized previously with irradiated tumor cells and Corynebacterium parvum. Tumor-immune chickens resist challenge by the immunizing tumor lines as well as by some, but not all, fibrosarcoma lines. The pattern of cross-reactivity between four DMBA-induced transplantable tumor lines was examined in detail. Ability to reject a tumor challenge correlated very well (p less than 0.001) with the presence of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to that tumor. Immunization with one of two of the DMBA-induced lines tested also caused rejection of transplantable tumors developed from methylcholanthrene-induced and benzo(a)pyrene-induced primary fibrosarcomas. Although immunization with tumor caused DTH to chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF), immunization with CEF failed to cause protective immunity or DTH to tumors. Presence of protective immunity, where tested, also correlated with the ability of spleen cells from immune donors to inhibit tumor growth in Winn tests. Humoral immunity exhibited even greater cross-reactivity than did cellular immunity. Distinct patterns of cross-reactivity were nevertheless observed with respect to the serum antibodies as detected in ELISA. Two of these patterns were also observed in several sera from primary tumor-bearing chickens, both including reactivity with CEF. Such reactivity was absent from normal chicken sera.

The immunological basis of tumor rejection: the absolute dependence of the effector arm on sensitized T cells after chemoimmunotherapy of a murine sarcoma.

The mechanisms of tumor rejection were investigated by using a therapeutic model system involving treatment of C57BL/6J (B6) mice bearing the syngeneic MCA/76-9 or the unrelated MCA/76-64 sarcomas with cytoxan and tumor-sensitized T lymphocytes. Separated tumor-associated T lymphocytes (TAL) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) isolated from the regressing tumors 8 to 10 days after combination therapy expressed relatively specific cytotoxicity in vitro, whereas the unseparated tumor-associated cells (TAC), consisting of a mixture of TAL and TAM, expressed nonspecific cytotoxicity. TAM-mediated cytotoxicity was not dependent on the presence of TAL, as shown by T cell depletion of TAM or TAC cultures with the use of monoclonal anti-Thy-1 or anti-Lyt-2 antibody and complement. In contrast, the nonspecific cytotoxicity was dependent on the presence of T cells. In vivo assays using the Winn test failed to confirm certain aspects of the in vitro data. Without exception, the TAC inhibited tumor growth in an immunologically specific manner, having no effect on the growth of the unrelated B6 sarcoma. T cell depletion completely abrogated in vivo cytotoxicity. Specificity of tumor growth inhibition was confirmed in a bystander experiment in which TAC were mixed with both tumor cell types and were injected into recipient B6 mice. Tumors grew under these conditions, but the tumor that grew consisted only of those tumor cells toward which TAC cytotoxicity was not specifically directed. A bioassay indicated that the specifically immune antitumor effects at the site of regression were initiated between days 3 and 7 after combination therapy. By days 7 and 9, few tumorigenic stem cells could be detected at the tumor site. However, T cell depletion of the TAC isolated on days 8 to 10 resulted in enhanced tumor growth when the depleted TAC were injected into recipient mice. The conclusions reached were that tumor rejection was absolutely dependent on T cell participation at the tumor site, and that if TAM were involved, they required the presence of TAL and did not express nonspecific antitumor cytotoxicity. Indeed, the accelerated tumor growth seen in the absence of TAL suggested the possibility that TAM were growth stimulatory.

Cytotoxicity of Cortisone-Resistant Lymphocytes from Mice Treated with a Group A Streptococcus or Freund’s Complete Adjuvant against Tumor Cells

The cortisone-resistant lymphocytes (CR lymphocytes) of mice treated with a group A streptococcus, Su strain, or Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) were examined for their cytotoxicity on Ehrlich carcinoma cells and sarcoma-180 cells. Female mice of the ddY strain, 7-8 weeks of age, were injected subcutaneously with streptococci or FCA in emulsion, and they were killed 14 days later. To obtain CR lymphocytes, mice treated with and without agents were injected intraperitoneally with hydrocortisone acetate (125 mg/kg) 2 days before killing. Tumor cells and CR lymphocytes from thymus, spleen or mesenteric lymph node were suspended in Hanks balanced salt solution supplemented with 2% bovine albumin. The cytotoxicity of CR lymphocytes on tumor cells was examined by the Winn test: Tumor growth was observed in mice inoculated s.c. with the mixture of tumor cells (T) and CR lymphocytes (L) at a T/L ratio of 1/10 (10(6) tumor cells/mouse). The mesenteric and thymic CR lymphocytes of mice treated with streptococci or FCA were more effective than the corresponding lymphocytes of untreated mice in suppressing the tumor growth in animals given the cell mixture. This suggests that the treatment of mice with streptococci or FCA results in an enhancement in the cytotoxicity of mesenteric and thymic CR lymphocytes against the tumor cells.

Studies on Immunity in Hybridoma-Bearing Mice. B. Immunity against the Hybridoma

Anti-dinitrophenyl IgE secreting hybridoma B 53 cells may be rejected when injected subcutaneously in BALB/c mice. These mice are immune as they withstand without any ill effect the intraperitoneal injection of LD100 B 53 cells. Sera from mice which rejected the tumor have cytotoxic antibodies against the hybridoma, as shown by in vitro tests, but serum cannot transfer immunity to naive BALB/c mice against hybridoma B 53. Spleen cells from mice which have rejected the tumor might transfer immunity against B 53 hybridoma, and with Winn tests it has been shown that these spleen cells are very effective against the B 53 cells and also against the myeloma cells which were used for the fusion to construct the B 53 hybridoma. Subcutaneously injected B 53 cells not only produce anti-DNP IgE secreting tumors, but often also metastasize to spleen, and they are sometimes detected in the circulating blood. Mice with splenic metastasis or with detectable circulating B 53 cells generally die. However, we did observe one mouse with splenic metastasis which successfully rejected the tumor and became immune to B 53 cells.

Comparative Study of Chemotherapy and/or Immunotherapy of Established Experimental Brain Tumors

Intracerebral injection of 5×105 nitrosourea-induced glioma cells (T9 tissue culture line) consistently produced brain tumors in syngenic Cesarean Derived Fisher rats. The tumors were 1 mm in diameter within 7 days and caused death within 23 days (mean results). The effects of therapy with ACNU and/or Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum) were evaluated. C. parvum alone was apparently ineffective. ACNU (10 mg/kg body weight) given on days 7 and 14 prolonged the mean survival time to 33.4 days. Combined treatment with ACNU and intradermal immunization with T9 cells and C. parvum on days 7 and 14, or on days 0 and 7, prolonged the mean survival time to 35.3 and 39.6 days, respectively. Eleven rats that survived following this treatment showed specific immunity against T9 cells, as demonstrated by subsequent challenge with T9 cells. The Winn's test procedure showed that spleen lymphocytes from immune rats were effective against T9 cells. The results suggest that immunochemotherapy may be an effective treatment for rats with established brain tumors.

Characterization of interleukin 2 (IL-2)-dependent cytotoxic T-cell clones: V. Transfer of resistance to allografts and tumor grafts requires exogenous IL-2

The adoptive transfer of resistance to tumor grafts with cloned interleukin 2 (IL-2)-dependent cytotoxic T-cell lines was examined. Two clones were used: clone CTLL-A2 which recognizes H-2D d determinants and clone CTLL-R5 which recognizes a unique cell surface antigen of BALB/c leukemia RL♂ol. Systemic transfer of resistance with these clones was accomplished only when exogenous (rat or human) IL-2 was administered at the same time. Intraperitoneal injection of CTLL-A2 cells accelerated rejection of sarcoma Meth A (H-2D d), but not ascites sarcoma BP8 (H-2 k) or leukemia EL4 (H-2 b) inoculated subcutaneously into C57BL/6 mice. CTLL-R5 cells were examined in local (Winn tests) as well as systemic transfer experiments. When mixed with leukemia cells before subcutaneous injection, they suppressed the growth of leukemia RL♂ol without exogenous IL-2. When injected intraperitoneally, CTLL-R5 cells inhibited the growth of subcutaneous grafts of leukemia RL♂ol only when exogenous IL-2 was administered at the same time. CTLL-R5 did not inhibit the growth of other radiation-induced BALB/c leukemias.

Suppressor T cells in BCG-treated mice interfere with an in vivo specific antitumoral immune response.

The interference by BCG in the induction and expression of a specific antitumoral immune reaction was studied in B6 mice, using the in vivo Winn assay and also active immunization. T cells immunized against MCA-induced fibrosarcoma (MC B6-1) transferred together with the tumour cells protected the syngeneic host against tumour take. Pretreatment of normal B6 mice with moderate or high doses of BCG prevented the development of a protective immune response after immunization. Moreover, a single dose of 1 mg, or 2 doses of 0.01 mg BCG, completely eliminated an established antitumour immunity. Suppressor cells are involved in the BCG-induced inhibitory effect; they interfered (1) with the expression of the antitumour response, since their addition to immune T cells in the Winn test resulted in decreased protection and (2) with the induction of the antitumour response, since injection of spleen cells from BCG-treated mice (BCG SpC) into normal mice before immunization inhibited the development of immunity. Treatment of BCG SpC with anti Thy 1.2 and anti Lyt 1.2 antibodies plus complement before injection into normal mice significantly decreased the suppressive activity, showing that the suppressor cells induced by BCG are T cells expressing the Lyt 1+ phenotype. The partial increase in protection obtained after IL-2 administration to BCG-treated mice suggests that the suppressive action of BCG SpC on the IL-2 producing capacity of helper T cells is only one of a number of possible mechanisms of T-cell-mediated suppression.