Abstract
Summary
BALB/c mice were immunized with Rauscher murine leukemia virus. Both formalin-treated virulent virus, and a live, attenuated strain of the virus were used as antigens. Immune serums and immune spleen cells harvested 64 days later caused lethal damage to the virus transformed malignant cell. The effectiveness of immune serum was removed by heat inactivation and was restored by the addition of guinea pig complement. Either X-irradiation or freezing and thawing eliminated the competence of the immunocytes. Normal spleen cells agglutinated to target cells by phytohemagglutinin were not capable of causing lethal damage to the malignant cells. Although allogeneic inhibition has been suggested as the possible mechanism underlying tumor immunity and surveillance against neoplasia in syngeneic and autochthonous systems, it does not appear to play a significant role in the immunity to transplantation of malignant cells that follows immunization with killed or attenuated murine leukemia virus.
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