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Invasion of Skeletal and Smooth Muscle by L1210 Leukemia¹

Departments of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Baltimore City Hospitals, Baltimore, Maryland

Invasion of skeletal and smooth muscle fibers by L1210 leukemic cells was studied by electrom microscopy and histochemistry. In the host-tumor interzone, degenerative changes were first detected in the tumor cells, and their cytoplasmic components, especially ribosomes, appeared free in the interstitial spaces. Many of the images strongly suggested that such tumor cell components may have been taken up by the muscle cells, especially in areas of fusion between normal and malignant elements. In some areas, the presence of tumor cell material seemed to exert a stimulatory effect on the normal structures, reflected by hyperplasia of cell organelles rather than cellular multiplication. Degenerative changes and lysis of muscle fibers occurred predominantly in areas of tumor cell degradation, rather than in the presence of healthy tumor cells, indicating that products derived from altered tumor cells may play an important role in neoplastic invasiveness. Our results also indicate that in the case of this particular tumor, lysosomes probably do not play a role in the destruction of normal structures.

¹ This investigation was supported by Grants CA 08518 from the National Cancer Institute, and HD 00042 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, USPHS.

² Recipient of a Career Development Award, K3-CA-21,756-04. National Cancer Institute, USPHS.

Received 4/11/67. Accepted 7/11/67.