Immunization of mice against Ehrlich ascites tumour using a hamster-Ehrlich ascites tumour hybrid cell line

The relationship between MHC antigen expression and metastasis

From the studies summarized here a complex picture of the role played by MHC products in determining tumorigenicity and metastasis is emerging. In order to be able to understand this relationship better, it is necessary to consider several factors. 1. Each tumor system or neoplastic tissue is unique, and its behavior reflects the influence of cell-specific characteristics, as well as its ability to modulate other cells and tissues--including cells belonging to the immune system--and also to be modulated by other cells and soluble factors. 2. Since metastasis formation is a multistep process in which only small subpopulations of tumor cells with complex and defined phenotypes are able to colonize secondary tissues, elimination of even one single phenotypic component of this structured process can easily reverse the metastatic capacity of the cells. Acquisition of metastatic ability, on the other hand, would be a more difficult task, since any new characteristic expressed by the cells or induced experimentally, such as gene transfection or results of IFN treatment, must be expressed in a temporal manner and in concert with other cellular characteristics. Therefore, an experimental protocol measuring a specific element in determining metastasis can easily produce conflicting results, depending on the type of cells and genetic background of the host studied. 3. The level of specific MHC products on tumor cells is one among many other cell characteristics that may determine the metastatic potential of cells. Moreover, each of the class 1 MHC products, and the relationship among them, including other than the classical K, L, or D products (Brickell et al., 1983), should be regarded as independent entities, with possible different regulatory roles in cell-cell recognition, in a general sense, which may be involved in determining invasiveness and homing as well as recognition by the immune system. 4. Both specific T-cell and nonspecific natural mediated immunity (which is much less understood) are involved in the selection of the metastatic cell population. 5. Immunogenicity of tumors is not necessarily determined by high levels of MHC antigen expression; it is also dependent on the level of TSA. Thus, immunoselection mediated by T lymphocytes during metastasis formation could be directed against both MHC and TSA antigens. Therefore, low expression of MHC antigens by metastatic cells as a result of immunoselection is not always observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Xenogenization of tumor cells by transfection with plasmid containing env gene of Friend leukemia virus

A rat hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (cKDH-8 cl-11) showed decreased tumorigenicity after transfection with an envelope gene derived from a Friend leukemia virus (FV-env gene). FV-env gene product was found by indirect immunofluorescence staining to be expressed on the cell surface of the FV-env gene-transfected cells. The FV-env-transfected cells (FV-env cKDH-8), however, grew well in X-irradiated immunosuppressed rats, indicating that the reduction in tumorigenicity of the transfected cells is based on immunological reaction in the host. The rats which rejected FV-env cKDH-8 cells showed resistance to rechallenge with the parent cKDH-8 cl-11 tumor cells. These results suggest that the FV-env gene product may elicit antitumor immunity against FV-env cKDH-8 cells in a host with a resultant reduction in the tumorigenicity of these cells.

Correlations of in vivo growth of CTL-susceptible and -resistant variant tumor cell lines in CTL-responder AKR.H-2b:Fv-1b and -nonresponder AKR.H-2b mice

Spontaneously occurring lymphoma/leukemias in AKR and AKR.H-2b mice are characterized by their expression of the Gross cell surface antigen (GCSA) and their weak immunogenicity. Although of a responder H-2 type, AKR.H-2b mice could not raise cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against a syngeneic GCSA+ tumor (AKR.H-2bSL1). In contrast, AKR.H-2b:Fv-1b mice served as a source for "antiviral" CTLs specific for GCSA+ tumors such as AKR.H-2bSL1, but not for CTLs against the cl.18-5 variant tumor, an antiviral CTL-resistant subclone derived from AKR.H-2bSL1. In the present study in vivo tumor challenge experiments demonstrated that both the ability of the recipient strain to raise CTLs and the sensitivity of the tumor to the CTLs were critical factors which determine tumor growth and recipient mortality. Furthermore, the ability to raise protective immunity against AKR.H-2bSL1 and cl.18-5 tumor challenge by preimmunization was investigated. It was not possible to raise protective immunity in CTL-nonresponder AKR.H-2b mice. In the case of AKR.H-2b:Fv-1b mice, immunization with allogeneic GCSA+ E male G2 tumor cells leads to complete protective immunity--not only against parental AKR.H-2bSL1 but, somewhat surprisingly, also against cl.18-5 variant, tumor challenge. Consistent with these findings and at the same time with an in vivo role for antiviral CTL, however, CTLs directed to the E male G2, AKR.H-2bSL1, and cl.18-5 tumors could be generated from the spleens of mice which had rejected cl.18-5 tumor cells. Interestingly, immunization of AKR.H-2b:Fv-1b mice with syngeneic AKR.H-2bSL1 tumor cells failed to raise any protective immunity. Thus, the data suggested that the concurrent recognition of allogeneic components with tumor-associated transplantation antigens (TATA) might be important in the induction of sufficient protective immunity against syngeneic GCSA+ tumors. Finally, the possible relationship of TATA and retroviral antigens, such as gp70 and p30 or as defined by CTL clones, is discussed.

Development of highly immunogenic variants of a rat fibrosarcoma line during in vitro cultivation

Rat fibrosarcoma KMT-17 cells decreased in tumorigenicity when cultured in vitro. Eight clones derived from cultured KMT-17 cell lines (c-KMT-17) were examined for their tumorigenicity, immunosensitivity, and immunogenicity. All the clones were less or nontumorigenic in normal syngeneic rats than KMT-17 cells maintained in vivo. All eight clones produced tumors in rats immunosuppressed with 600 rad 60Co; differences in degree of tumorigenicity were seen among clones in rats irradiated with 250 rad 60Co. Although immunosensitivity of the eight clones to complement-dependent and cell-mediated cytotoxicity was the same or less than that of KMT-17 cells, al leight clones induced greater transplantation resistance to KMT-17 than KMT-17 itself. Cold target inhibition tests demonstrated new antigens in a highly immunogenic variant in addition to the original tumor associated antigen (TAA). New glycolipids, not observed in KMT-17 cells, were demonstrated in the clones by thin layer chromatography. These results suggest that new antigens appearing during culture of KMT-17 may act as helper antigens for TAA, increasing the immunogenicity and decreasing the tumorigenicity of the cultured cells.

Tumor-specific immunity induced by somatic hybrids. IV. Relationship between immunogenicity and expression of surface tumor-associated antigens

Semi-allogeneic hybrid clones were derived by fusion of the TEPC-15 plasmacytoma (H-2d) and mouse L cells of C3H (H-2k) origin. Three representative clones were chosen to study the relationship between the expression of different membrane antigens and their immunogenicities leading to protection of recipient mice from the parent TEPC-15 plasmacytoma. The level of surface tumor-specific transplantation antigens (TSTA) was measured by radioimmunoprecipitation with syngeneic anti-TSTA and by inhibition of anti-TSTA binding to the TEPC-15 tumor cells. The most immunogenic hybrid clone (LTC-1) expressed the highest level of TSTA and the weakly immunogenic (LTC-2) and nonimmunogenic (LTC-4) hybrid clones exhibited relatively low levels of TSTA on the surface. Moreover, the strongly immunogenic LTC-1 hybrid cells, but not the parent tumor cells, were effective in priming recipient spleen cells to generate TEPC-15 tumor-specific cytotoxic cells upon subsequent in vitro exposure to the TSTA-bearing cells. Therefore, the level of TSTA on the semi-allogeneic hybrid clones may play an important role in enhancing the immunogenicity of TSTA.

Somatic cell hybridization of human tumor samples

Human intraspecific hybrids were formed between tumor cells isolated from both primary and metastatic tumors and a tissue culture adapted cell line, D98OR, a HeLa derivative which is thioguanine and ouabain resistant. Five different tumor types in all were attempted: renal cell carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, melanoma, chrondrosarcoma, and hepatocarcinoma. The tumor tissue was either (1) immediately dissociated and fused, or (2) frozen and later thawed, dissociated, and fused. Two different PEG concentrations were used. The results reported here demonstrate that: (1) hybrid tumor cell lines can be made from several types of cancer, (2) unfrozen tumor tissue fused with D98OR by exposure to 50% PEG appears optimal, (3) chromosome loss, as determined by flow cytometry studies of hybrid DNA content, is minimal, and (4) hybrids have characteristics consistent with derivation from tumor cells rather than derivation from the nonmalignant cells of a tumor.

High-grade tumor-specific immunity induced by L1210 leukemia variants obtained from the culture of L1210 cells fused with Lesch-Nyhan fibroblasts

A highly immunogenic variant of the murine L1210 leukemia cell (L1210/LN-1) for generation of tumor immunity has been obtained from culture of L1210 cells originally fused with human Lesch-Nyhan fibroblasts. In L1210/LN-1 cells, no human chromosomes were identified and chromosomes M1 and No. 1 carried by the parent L1210 cells were missing. L1210/LN-1 cells displayed an intermediate morphology between L1210 cells and Lesch-Nyhan fibroblasts. Most of the CDF1 mice that were inoculated with less than 2 X 10(6) L1210/LN-1 cells survived over 60 days without evidence of tumor, whereas the original L1210 cells killed all the mice tested in about 2 weeks. When inoculated with more than 5 X 10(6) L1210/LN-1 cells, CDF1 mice developed tumor. The CDF1 mice which rejected 2 X 10(6) L1210/LN-1 cells were protected very effectively against challenge of otherwise highly aggressive 1-5 X 10(5) L1210 leukemia cells; 40 out of 43 primed mice tested survived for 60 days or longer after the tumor challenge. Even the CDF1 mice primed with irradiated or mitomycin-treated L1210/LN-1 cells survived against a challenge of 10(5) L1210 leukemia cells. They were, however, not protected against P388 leukemia or Meth A sarcoma, indicating that the immunity was specific to L1210 leukemia. The immunity induced by L1210/LN-1 cells was transplantable by immune spleen cells into syngeneic recipients. Thus, the L1210/LN-1 cells we obtained seem to be very useful as an immunogen for generation of high-grade tumor-specific immunity against highly malignant L1210 leukemia.

Production of hybrid cells by fusion of human malignant tumour cells and primary mouse embryo cells

Hybrid cells with a subtetraploid mouse chromosome complement were produced by fusion of three types of human tumour cells with primary mouse embryo cells. The most frequently present presumptive human chromosome was 21. Numerous chromosome rearrangements were present. Some hybrid cells produced regressing tumours in mice.

Vaccinia virus: the possibilities of its oncogenicity in humans

Contrary to the earlier generally accepted view that vaccinia virus replicates in the cytoplasm only of suitable target cells, steadily accumulating data show that the viral genome spends a limited period of time in the nucleus. This, together with the many cases where a close association has been suspected or established between skin cancer and vaccination, suggests that vaccinia virus may, under certain yet undefined physiological conditions, act as an oncogenic virus in humans.

Associative control of the immune response to cell surface antigens

The immune response to cell surface antigens is regulated by the activity of helper and suppressor cells, probably of TH and possibly of TCS types. For this to operate, recognition must take place of two or more antigenic determinants, which may be carried on the same (intramoblecular help) or different (intermolecular, intrastructural help) molecules. Regulation of this type has been shown to operate in the response to the murine allo-antigens H-2K, H-2D, Thy-1, and H-minors.

Histocompatibility antigens acting as helper determinants for tumor-associated antigens of murine lymphosarcoma

The mechanism of effectiveness of allogeneic versus syngeneic immunization in mounting a humoral specific immune response against tumor-associated antigens of murine urethan-induced thymic lymphosarcomas was studied. C57BL mice immunized with untreated or blocked C3Hf lymphoma cells yielded sera with complement-dependent cytotoxicity for C57BL lymphosarcomas, whereas they did not respond to repeated injections of blocked syngeneic lymphoma cells, indicating a helper activity of alien alloantigens in the reflex of tumor antigens. Thymectomized, lethally-irradiated and T, but not B-reconstituted mice produced active sera, suggesting a T-dependent response. The anti-tumor activity of the serum ran parallel with the anti-histocompatibility one. The tumor-associated and the alien histocompatibility determinants had to be present on the same cell membrane. In addition, active sera were obtained when immunizing syngeneic lymphoma cell inocula were followed by allogeneic normal immunocompetent cells. It is suggested that either a helper mechanism with B and T cells cooperating in recognizing haptenic tumor-associated and carrier histocompatibility antigens or a graft-versus-host reaction determining an abnormal induction of the immune system is needed in order to detect the weak tumor-associated antigens of urethan-induced lymphomas.

The effect of antiserum fractions on Ehrlich ascites tumour cells

Hyperimmune heterologous serum produced in sheep against mouse Ehrlich ascites tumour cells was absorbed with normal mouse tissue and fractionated by DEAE column chromatography into IgG1 and IgG2 fractions. In vitro cytotoxicity test showed that sheep anti-Ehrlich ascites tumour IgGl fraction was cytotoxic to (51)Cr labelled tumour cells whereas IgG2 had no cytotoxic effect. Pretreatment of the tumour cells with the non-cytotoxic IgG2 fraction slightly inhibited the cytotoxic action of IgG1 in vitro.When EAT cells were coated with either IgG1 or IgG2 by preincubation in vitro before injecting intraperitoneally into mice, both fractions protected the animals against tumour growth. Injection of IgG2 and IgGl fractions separately, one before and the other after the injection of EAT cells, resulted in partial protection only. The difference encountered between the in vitro and in vivo findings could be attributed to the host defence mechanisms involved in the in vivo test system.

Regulation of the immune response: suppressive and enhancing effects of passively administered antibody

The ability of passively administered antibody to suppress the immune response against homologous antigenic determinants while concomitantly enhancing the response against other unrelated determinants of the same antigen molecule has been established in two distinct antigen-antibody systems: (a) guinea pig gamma(2)-immunoglobulin + passive anti-F(ab')(2) antibody, where suppression of anti-F(ab')(2) antibody synthesis is accompanied by enhancement of the anti-Fc response; and (b) human secretory IgA + passive anti-serum IgA antibody, where suppression of antibody production against the alpha and L chains accompanies augmentation of the response to the secretory component. The mechanisms of the suppressive and enhancing effects are probably unrelated for the following reasons: (a) Enhancement of the response to certain determinants may be obtained without discernible suppression of the response to the homologous determinants; and (b) the F(ab')(2) fragments of passive antibody can mediate immune suppression but were not observed to enhance the response against the unrelated determinants of the same antigen molecule. Also, the timing for achieving maximum suppression or enhancement of antibody formation is not the same; enhancement was obtained only at a later time. Both the enhancement and suppressive effects were obtained with the purified gammaG fraction of antisera. This finding rules out an exclusive role of gammaM antibody in the enhancement phenomenon.