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 van de Velde, C. J. H. Articles by Zwaveling, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by van de Velde, C. J. H. Articles by Zwaveling, A.

A Morphometrical Analysis of Lymph Node Responses to Tumors of Different Immunogenicity

Radiobiological Institute TNO, 151 Lange Kleiweg, Rijswijk [C. J. H. van de V., L. M. van P.]; Departments of Pathology [C. J. L. M. M., C. J. C.] and Surgery [A. Z.], Leiden University Hospital, Leiden; and Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University [E. A. van der V.], Leiden, The Netherlands

An immunogenic tumor and a nonimmunogenic tumor were used in C57BL/Ka and CBA/Rij mice, respectively, in a study in which lymph nodes morphology was quantitatively measured. Lymph nodes were cut in semiseries, and a morphometrical analysis was done on the paracortical and cortical areas as major parts of the active lymph nodes. These parameters could be expressed with confidence in both absolute and relative numbers, since a strong correlation existed between the weight of lymph nodes and the summated surface areas.

To determine whether the regional lymph node plays a major role in this response, we performed similar analyses of two nonregional lymph nodes. It was observed that immunogenicity, defined as the ability to evoke an immune response that significantly influences tumor cell take and tumor cell growth, was not relevant in evoking a morphologically evident response. In absolute numbers, the response evoked was strongest in the regional lymph nodes in both systems. However, the percentages of paracortical and cortical areas in the lymph nodes reacting were not essentially different from one node to another during the growth of both tumors. This observation was confirmed by an analysis of variance. These findings suggest that great caution must be exercised when one is interpreting morphological lymph node changes as evidence of an influence of immunological reactions on tumor cell growth.

¹ Fellow of the Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds of the National Cancer League. To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 11/29/76. Accepted 12/13/77.