The Experimental Transmission of Leukemia in Mice.

Abstract

The only report in the literature of the successful transmission of leukemia in mammals, is that of Snijders, 1 who succeeded in transmitting the disease by the inoculation of emulsions of tissues from spontaneously affected guinea pigs into normal animals of the same species. Unsuccessful attempts to transmit leukemia in mice were made by Haaland 2 and Tyzzer. 3

In a strain of mice designated hereafter as C58, which has been inbred by brother-sister matings since 1921, it was observed that a considerable number of those that lived more than 8 months had enlargements of their spleens and lymph nodes. Microscopic examination by Dr. Alwin M. Pappenheimer in 1926 disclosed that these enlargements were due to lymphatic leukemia.

The present cooperative investigation was undertaken early in 1928, at which time the number of matings in this strain was increased.

Of 42 mice in the 16th and 17th generations that lived more than 8 months, 4 29 have had splenomegaly. Of these, 19 have been diagnosed as leukemia by microscopic examination, 2 presented the gross anatomical lesions of leukemia and are awaiting microscopic diagnosis, 2 had the gross lesions of leukemia but are not available for microscopic study, and 6 are still alive. Four mice died or were killed at about 10 months of age, but were not leukemic. Nine mice are still living and at present do not have leukemic symptoms.

Tumors other than those occurring as part of the leukemic syndrome are uncommon in this strain.

Saline emulsions of spleens from 6 mice spontaneously affected with lymphatic leukemia were inoculated intraperitoneally and sub-cutaneously into non-leukemic mice from the same and also from other strains. The non-leukemic mice were young animals of both sexes, from 1 to 2 months old.