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Paradoxical Effect of Three-Day Thymectomy on Sarcogenesis in the Mouse with Different Dosages of Methylcholanthrene¹

Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California 95128 [L. M. P.] and Laboratory for Experimental Pathology, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Chikusa, Nagoya 464, Japan [A. K.]

Past studies have shown that thymectomy in the mouse at 3 days of age but not at birth or after 7 days produces, in later life, a variety of localized autoimmune lesions. In the present work, 3-day thymectomy facilitated subsequent sarcogenesis by low dosages of 3-methylcholanthrene but inhibited oncogenesis by a high dosage. If the presence of autoimmunity implies an increased antitumor immunity, it then follows that increased immunity facilitated low-dose sarcogenesis but inhibited sarcogenesis with a high dose.

¹ Supported by NIH Grant CA 31837.

Received 12/ 6/84. Revised 6/16/86. Accepted 7/ 3/86.