Comparison of Tumour Antigens in AKR and Gross Virus (Passage A)-induced Leukaemias

Abstract

EARLIER experiments have shown that it is possible to characterize the group of lymphomas elicited by Gross Passage A virus using immunological methods. It was shown that a resistance to tumour transplantation could be developed in mice by administering low doses of tumour cells; this effect was obtained in both the syngeneic and the allogeneic tumour–host system¹. Serum from immunized mice exerted a cytotoxic effect on transplanted Gross tumour cells in vitro in the presence of complement². Individually induced Passage A tumours were found to cross-react, whereas tumours induced by other means did not. Cross-reactivity was demonstrated for Gross tumour cells by (a) ability to induce and sensitivity to transplantation resistance, (b) ability to induce and sensitivity to cytotoxic antibodies, (c) specific absorption of cytotoxic antibodies by tumour cells, and (d) specific tumour cell neutralization by immune lymph node cells.