This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McCoy, J. L. Articles by Kirsten, W. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McCoy, J. L. Articles by Kirsten, W. H.

Immunobiological Studies of Tumors Induced by Murine Sarcoma Virus (Kirsten)¹

Bionetics Research Laboratory, Bethesda, Maryland 20014 [J. L. M., N. T. M.] University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105 [A. F.]; and University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60615 [W. H. K.]

Kirsten murine sarcoma virus (K-MSV) inoculated into C3H mice aged 3 days to 5 weeks induced tumors that grew progressively and metastasized or regressed. The incidence of tumors decreased with age, while the incidence of regression of palpable tumors increased. Similarly, preirradiation of the host increased the incidence of tumors and decreased the incidence of regressions. Some of the mice with local tumors that regressed died with internal sarcomas, but most died with erythroblastosis. Sera from mice with tumors that had regressed neutralized the oncogenic and focus-forming activities of a K-MSV preparation but did not neutralize its ability to induce fatal erythroblastosis. The data suggest that the immunological competence of the host can render it relatively resistant to de novo oncogenesis by K-MSV as well as to established autochthonous tumors.

Two transplantable K-MSV-induced tumors (KS) grew progressively and killed adult syngeneic mice. The KS cells grew better and killed more pre-irradiated (43/49) than unirradiated (18/50) hosts. Mice immunized with lethally X-irradiated KS cells resisted challenge with viable KS cells. Fifty-two of 62 normal controls and 29 of 71 preimmunized mice developed fatal tumors. The results suggest that both transplantable tumors possess tumor-associated transplantation antigens. However, since the transplantable KS cells were also demonstrated to release oncogenic K-MSV, it could not be determined whether the transplantation antigens were cellular or virion.

¹ This investigation was supported by Hazleton Laboratories IR and D Contract 698-001 while J. L. M. and N. T. M. were employed at Hazleton Laboratories, Falls Church, Va., and by USPHS Research Grants CA4311 and CA10777 from the National Cancer Institute.

² Scholar of the Leukemia Society of America.

³ Public Health Service Career Development Awardee.

Received 8/10/71. Accepted 10/26/71.