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Growth Characteristics of Free C1498 (Granulocytic Leukemia) Tumor Cells in the Peritoneal Fluid and the Blood of C57 Mice^*

( Cancer Research Laboratories, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tenn.)

1. Graded numbers (15 x 10⁶ to 10²) of C1498 tumor cells were inoculated i.p. or s.c. into C57BL/6 mice. From these animals peritoneal fluid and blood were withdrawn at various time intervals for total and differential cell counts. The results were plotted in graphs and compared to graphs of mortality in the same groups of mice and with their autopsy findings.

2. The i.p. inoculated tumor cells provoked an accumulation of serous exudate and grew abundantly (numerous mitoses) in that medium, rapidly invading blood and hematopoietic organs. Their maximum concentration in the peritoneal fluid was reached earlier and at a higher level (almost 100 per cent) by high inocula; later and at a lower level (80–90 per cent) by smaller inocula (less than 10⁶ tumor cells). Tumor cells adjusted to free growth by serial i.p. transfers grew faster than those grown in the spleen. The leukocytic pattern of peritoneal fluid during tumor cell proliferation was characterized by very early disappearance of lymphocytes, scarcity of monocytes, and prevalence of polymorphonuclears. This pattern was reversed by the use of smaller inocula.

3. Blood invasion by tumor cells paralleled, for large inocula, their growth in the fluid, but at much lower levels (not more than 50 per cent), and for smaller inocula it was intermittent and irregular. The changes in the leukocytic pattern of the blood followed those of the peritoneal fluid. Similar trends in the blood picture were found in s.c. inoculated animals.

4. The mortality rate of i.p. inoculated mice paralleled closely the growth rate of tumor cells and their invasion of hematopoietic organs. For s.c. implants these processes could not be correlated with the size of the tumor.

5. Treatment with colloidal Au¹⁹⁸ reduced the number of tumor cells in the blood and the peritoneal fluid, but delayed only slightly the death of their hosts.

6. It is concluded that the ability of tumor cells to grow out of minimal inocula (single cell or few cells) in almost pure culture in the peritoneal fluid and to invade blood and hematopoietic organs should be attributed to their exceptionally high growth potency.

7. It is presumed therefore that leukemic cells are malignant cells of high growth potency and that variations in leukemic syndromes depend on the degree of preservation of natural barriers between body fluids and organs.

^* This work was carried out under Contract At-(40-1)-269 with the Division of Biology and Medicine of the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

Received 8/ 2/52.