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Role of the Thymus and T-Cells in Slow Growth of B16 Melanoma in Old Mice¹

Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021 [T. T., Y. T. K., G. W. S., A. D., R. S., M. E. W.], and Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 [W. E.]

Clinical observations suggest that tumors grow more slowly in aged subjects. To investigate the influence of age on tumor growth, we injected the same number of cultured B16 melanoma cells into C57BL/6 mice of various ages. B16 melanoma cells, inoculated s.c., grew more slowly in old (18–20-month-old) as compared to young (6–8-week-old) mice. In young tumor-bearing mice there was a significant increase in the number and the proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A of splenic T-cells as compared to old tumor-bearing animals. There was no difference in the response of B-lymphocytes from old and young tumor-bearing mice to lipopolysaccharide. The positive association between T-cells and the rate of tumor growth was also suggested by the slower growth of melanoma cells in thymectomized or thymectomized and anti- antiserum-treated young mice. Finally, the age-associated difference in tumor growth could be transferred by spleen cells from old or young mice to thymectomized and lethally irradiated syngeneic young animals. Young mice with rapidly growing B16 melanoma tumors have increased numbers and proliferative responses of thymic-derived lymphocytes. It is likely that T-cells or their products facilitate the growth of B16 tumor cells.

¹ Supported in part by Grants AG 00541 and CA 26344 from the NIH.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 12/29/86. Revised 3/ 6/87. Accepted 3/20/87.

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