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Growth Retardation and Prevention of Ehrlich Solid Tumor by Clostridium perfringens Type A Spores and Culture Supernatant

Centre de Recherche en Bactériologie, Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval-des-Rapides, Québec, Canada H7N 4Z3 [J-R. L., V. P.]; Départment de Microbiologie et d'Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada [J-R. L., V. P.]; and Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital de Chicoutimi Inc., Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada [J-R. L.]

When given by direct s.c. injection into the Ehrlich solid carcinoma 1 week after s.c. tumor transfer, viable crude spores of Clostridium perfringens type A (attenuated mutant strain LNG11 ATCC 29348) inhibited tumor growth and significantly prolonged the life span of male outbred Swiss mice. Under these conditions a concentrated sterile supernatant of a C. perfringens culture proved to be slightly more effective than were viable crude spores. In contrast viable crude spores were ineffective in the treatment of female Swiss mice, but the sterile supernatant retained significant activity. When given at the time and site of s.c. grafting of Ehrlich tumor cells, a concentrated sterile supernatant of a C. perfringens culture prevented tumor growth in 80% of male outbred Swiss mice. Under these conditions viable crude spores prevented tumor growth in 70% of mice and significantly prolonged the life span in the other 30%. When given by i.p. injection and before i.p. grafting of tumor cells, viable crude spores of C. perfringens prevented Ehrlich ascites tumor in 5 of 12 Swiss mice and prolonged life span in the other 7. In contrast concentrated sterile supernatant and viable purified spores were ineffective in the prevention or delay of the growth of Ehrlich ascites tumor. These data indicate that C. perfringens can be a potent antitumor agent without producing the harmful acute anaerobic infection of solid tumors (clostridial oncolysis).

¹ Recipient of a Fellowship (1974 to 1976) from the Medical Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital de Chicoutimi Inc., Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada G7H 5H6.

Received 1/26/78. Accepted 5/ 5/78.