Distribution and Effect of Colloidal Radioactive Gold in Peritoneal Fluid Containing Free Sarcoma 37 Cells.

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Abstract
Two to 5 days after intraperit. inoculation of 10,000 free sarcoma-37 cells from peritoneal fluid, several series of CFW mice were treated with a single intraperit. injn. of 0.2 to 0.44 mc of colloidal radioactive gold. Control mice remained untreated or were treated with inactive (decayed) gold prepns. On 3 consecutive days after treatment, specimens of peritoneal fluid were withdrawn by exploratory puncture from treated and control mice. Stained smears from these specimens revealed the absence of tumor cells or cytological abnormalities therein in gold treated mice, while in controls the tumor cells were numerous and showed high proportion of mitoses. The non-viability of morphologically alterated cells was demonstrated by their inability to multiply or even to survive after their transfer into new mice. Ultramicroscopic colloidal gold particles mixed immediately after injn. with the peritoneal fluid became condensed, after 24-48 hrs.,into dot-like particles in the cytoplasm of macrophages and during the following days into coarse clumps. The macrophages loaded with gold particles maintained their structural and functional integrity; lymphocytes and polymorphonuclears were partially and temporarily destroyed by radiation effect. It is concluded that in the cellular peritoneal exudate from mice inoculated with S-37 cells, the tumor cells were highly sensitive to small amts. of radiation well tolerated by the mice themselves while macrophages showed very high resistance to the same agent. Thus, the complete destruction of free tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity of the mice may be described as a selective radio-therapeutic effect of radioactive colloidal gold.