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Effect of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin on Immunosuppression from Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, and 5-Fluorouracil¹

The Experimental Immunotherapy Laboratory, Veterans Administration Hospital, Sepulveda 91343, and the Division of Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024

Studies were undertaken to determine the effect of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) on the cellular and humoral response in mice receiving cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF). C57BL/6 mice were given i.p. injections of sheep red blood cells and were grafted with BALB/c skin on Day 0. Treatment consisted of CMF, BCG, or both CMF and BCG. The number of plaque-forming spleen cells producing antibody against sheep red blood cells was measured on Days 5, 10, and 14. Skin grafts were evaluated frequently until complete rejection had occurred.

The primary humoral response as measured by number of plaque-forming cells per 10⁶ nucleated spleen cells in mice treated with CMF or CMF and BCG was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) as compared to controls on Days 5, 10, and 14. The primary humoral response in mice treated with CMF and BCG was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) as compared to mice treated with CMF alone on Day 10. The secondary humoral response in mice treated with CMF or CMF and BCG was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) as compared to controls on Day 10. Cellular response as measured by skin graft survival was not altered by CMF or by CMF and BCG, but it was increased significantly (p < 0.01) by BCG.

¹ Presented to the American Association of Cancer Research, San Diego, California, May 9, 1975 (30). Supported by grants from the Veterans Administration and the California Institute for Cancer Research.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at 54-140 Center for Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Calif. 90024.

³ Present address: Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. 06505.

Received 9/ 2/76. Accepted 4/27/77.