CYTOKINETIC ANALYSIS OF BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN-INDUCED GROWTH-CONTROL OF A MURINE LEUKEMIA

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 37  (6) , 1743-1749
Abstract
The cytokinetics of an isogeneic, transplantable, lymphoid leukemia, growing as an ascitic tumor in the C57BL/6 mouse, was investigated during normal growth and regression induced by weekly injections i.v. of 1.0 mg BCG. Survival was significantly prolonged in the BCG treated group, and 27% of the mice were apparently cured. The tumor growth curves also showed that BCG treated mice could be divided into 2 groups according to whether the ascitic tumor cell number was at control level or below that of the controls. By methods such as stathmokinetics, 3H-thymidine autoradiography and cytophotometry, the proliferative activity was higher in BCG mice with a low tumor mass as compared to controls and BCG mice with a tumor mass similar to that of controls. The cytokinetic characteristics of BCG mice with a low ascitic tumor cell number were especially expressed by high mitotic activity, high initial labeling indices, short potential tumor doubling time and a low number of G0-G1 cells. The ascitic tumor cell loss rate was increased in these mice during the whole experimental period. It was deduced from the various parameters and especially from the cytophotometric and autoradiographic results that BCG induces a preferential kill of tumor cells in G0-G1 and the 1st part of the S phase. The cytological aspects of the ascitic tumor were related to the cell kinetic pattern as the amount of small and large tumor cells increased and decreased, respectively, with accumulation of tumor cells in G0-G1.

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