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The Effect of Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid on the Immune Response of Mice to Antigenically Distinct Tumors¹

Departments of Medicine [S. R. C.] and Surgery [J. C. F., J. A. M.], Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118

Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid temporarily inhibits the growth rate of visible, transplanted tumors of both chemical (methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcomas) and viral (murine polyoma) origin with nearly equal facility. This effect is dose related and is associated with lymphopenia and death at high doses or following prolonged administration. Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid produces a variable effect on humoral antibody production in normal mice and can suppress cellular immunity in normal hosts, as evidenced by prolongation of skin allograft survivals in pretreated recipients. Prior host immunosuppression with either sublethal X-irradiation or antilymphocyte serum does not eliminate the inhibition of tumors provoked by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid administration, thus suggesting that some mechanism other than stimulation of the immune response of the host is responsible for the effects of this drug on malignant cells.

¹ Supported by USPHS Grants AM 10824 and RO1-A1-08579.

² Present address: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville, Va. 22901.

Received 3/22/71. Accepted 1/24/72.

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