DEMONSTRATION OF CELLULAR AND HUMORAL IMMUNITY TO TRANSPLANTABLE CARCINOMAS DERIVED FROM RESPIRATORY-TRACT OF RATS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (2) , 261-267
Abstract
Previous studies with respiratory tract tumors in mice suggested that such tumors are not immunogenic or are only weakly so. To determine whether this is a general characteristic of neoplasias found in the airways of rodents, 7 transplantable carcinomas, 6 of which originated from tracheal epithelium and 1 of which originated from the distal lung, were investigated in rats. These carcinomas were all of the squamous type and were induced by 3 different carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons [3-methylcholanthrene, benzo(a)pyrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene]. All of the tumors were immunogenic, capable of mobilizing cellular and humoral immune responses in isogenic hosts upon immunization. This was demonstrated by induction of transplantation resistance, by Winn''s neutralization test and by the detection of antibodies in the sera of tumor-immune hosts by 2 independent methods (antibody-dependent cytotoxicity and antibody-binding test). The degree of immunogenicity varied among the tumor lines. The most metastatic tumor was clearly the least immunogenic. The relationship between carcinogenic insult and immunogenicity, and the possible nature of the tumor-associated antigens involved, are discussed.