Influence of murine leukemia proviral integrations on development of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced thymic lymphomas in AKR mice.

The AKR mouse strain is characterized by a high incidence of spontaneous thymic lymphoma that appears in older animals (greater than 6 months of age) and is associated with novel provirus integrations of ecotropic and recombinant murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs). Treatment of 4- to 6-week-old AKR/J mice with the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) results in thymic lymphomas that arise as early as 3 to 4 months of age and contain novel somatically acquired MuLV provirus integrations. The AKR/J strain develops MNU-induced lymphoma with a higher incidence and shorter latency than has been observed for other inbred mouse strains. To determine whether provirus integrations of endogenous MuLV account for the enhanced susceptibility of the AKR strain, the incidence and latency of MNU-induced lymphoma development was compared in AKR/J and AKR.Fv-1b mice. The restrictive b allele of the Fv-1 locus restricts integration and replication of endogenous N-tropic MuLV; therefore, AKR-Fv-1b mice have a very low incidence of spontaneous lymphoma. In contrast, AKR.Fv-1b mice develop MNU-induced lymphomas with an incidence and latency similar to those of the AKR/J strain. Furthermore, thymic lymphomas from both strains express an immature CD4-8+ phenotype, indicating neoplastic transformation of the same thymocyte subset. Southern blot analysis confirmed that lymphoma DNA from AKR.Fv-1b mice did not contain somatically acquired provirus integrations. These results demonstrate that provirus integration does not contribute to the predisposition of AKR mice to develop a high incidence of early MNU-induced lymphomas. Nevertheless, MNU treatment stimulated high-level expression of infectious ecotropic MuLV in AKR.Fv-1b as well as in AKR/J mice, suggesting that viral gene products might enhance lymphoma progression.     

Development of donor-derived thymic lymphomas after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in AKR/J mice

The transplantation of bone marrow cells from BALB/c (but not C57BL/6 and C3H/HeN) mice was observed to lead to the development of thymic lymphomas (leukemias) in AKR/J mice. Two leukemic cell lines, CAK1.3 and CAK4.4, were established from the primary culture of two thymic lymphoma, and surface phenotypes of these cell lines found to be H-2d and Thy-1.2+, indicating that these lymphoma cells are derived from BALB/c donor bone marrow cells. Further analyses of surface markers revealed that CAK1.3 is L3T4+ Lyt2+ IL2R-, whereas CAK4.4 is L3T4- Lyt2- IL2R+. Both CAK1.3 and CAK4.4 were transplantable into BALB/c but not AKR/J mice, further indicating that these cells are of BALB/c bone marrow donor origin. The cells were found to produce XC+-ecotropic viruses, but xenotropic and mink cell focus-forming viruses were undetectable. Inasmuch as thymic lymphomas are derived from bone marrow cells of leukemia-resistant BALB/c strain of mice under the allogeneic environment of leukemia-prone AKR/J mice, this animal model may serve as a useful tool not only for the analysis of leukemic relapse after bone marrow transplantation but also for elucidation of the mechanism of leukemogenesis.     

Mechanism of immune transfer by RNA extracts

Summary Immune RNA (I-RNA) was extracted from lymphoid organs of BALB/c mice immunized with AKR lymphoid cells. Incubation of normal BALB/c spleen cells with this I-RNA (but not with normal RNA) resulted in leukocyte migration inhibition reactions (LMIR) against AKR extracts but not against purified protein derivative or BALB/c sarcoma extracts. This transfer was abolished by pretreating I-RNA with RNAse but not with pronase. The active fraction of I-RNA was retained by and could be eluted from Poly-U Sepharose columns. Normal cells pretreated with I-RNA also reacted in the presence of an anti-idiotypic anti-serum of anti-(BALB/c anti-AKR) specificity. Pretreatment of cells with anti-idiotypic serum plus complement did not inhibit the subsequent transfer of LMIR with I-RNA. Idiotypic receptors were expressed on I-RNA treated cells less than one hour after I-RNA treatment. Using an I-RNA of double specificity, the results suggested that I-RNA entered into and acted on the cells through a nonspecific mechanism. Finally, I-RNA could induce BALB/c anti-AKR idiotypic markers in C57B1/6 cells, genetically committed for different idiotypes, while RNA extracted from C57131/6 immune cells could not induce in BALB/ c cells their own genetically acquired idiotypes. This series of data would prove that I-RNA acting as a mRNA is able to induce in normal noncommitted cells the de novo synthesis of antigen receptors similar or identical to those present in the surface of in vivo immunized lymphoid cells of the same strain.     

Anti-thymocyte autoimmunity in BALB/C mice accompanying immunization to a syngeneic lymphoma.

As immunization of BALB/c mice to the syngeneic P1798 lymphoma is effected by administration of iodoacetamide-modified P1798 cells, serum antibodies appear which are reactive with P1798 and normal BALB/c thymocytes, splenocytes, and peripheral blood lymphocytes. Anti-P1798 serum also cross-reacted with thymocytes from AKR, DBA/2, and C3H mice as well as the allogeneic lymphoma 6C3HED. Anti-P1798 serum was unreactive with the Thy-1 deficient L1210 lymphoma. Multiple absorptions of anti-P1798 serum with normal BALB/c thymocytes or brain or P1798 removed antibodies to P1798 and thymocytes commensurately. Normal BALB/c liver and kidney did not absorb antibody activity. Treatment of a BALB/c splenocyte suspension with anti-Thy 1.2 serum and complement removed the population of spleen cells which were capable of reaction with anti-P1798 serum. The data suggest that antibodies to P1798 and thymocytes are the same and that specificity may be directed toward a Thy-1 related structure but without distinguishing Thy-1.1 and Thy-1.2.     

Exogenous C1q reconstitutes a secondary deficiency of C5-deficient AKR mouse macrophages for FcR-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and phagocytosis

Studies originally designed to assess the putative role of endogenous C5 in macrophage activation for antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) yielded unanticipated results. Resident and inflammatory peritoneal macrophages from C5-deficient AKR mice were found to have significantly lower capacity for FcR-dependent ADCC activation and phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized SRBC targets than did C5-competent C3HeB/FeJ (C3H) mice. Reconstitution of the ADCC response of AKR macrophages was accomplished initially with C5-sufficient C3H mouse serum, which suggested that endogenous C5 may be required for ADCC activation. However, further investigation largely eliminated C5 involvement in that a heat-labile component of C5-deficient AKR serum was shown to be active in the reconstitution of ADCC activation of AKR macrophages. Macrophages from AKR mice were found to have significantly lower levels of C1q mRNA synthesis, endogenous C1q levels, and C1q secretion than did C3H mouse macrophages as determined by Northern blot, Western blot, and presynthetic radiolabeling analysis, respectively. The addition of purified exogenous C1q to IgG-opsonized SRBC targets fully reconstituted ADCC activation for AKR inflammatory peritoneal macrophages to levels of normally FcR-responsive C3H macrophages. Similarly, exogenous C1q augmented FcR-dependent phagocytosis of AKR macrophages but had no effect on macrophages from responsive C3H mice. Our results indicate that AKR mice have a deficiency for FcR-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and phagocytosis that is related to their low potential for C1q synthesis and secretion rather than to their established genetic deficiency for C5 synthesis. We tentatively conclude that endogenous C1q is required as an accessory molecule for macrophage FcR-dependent effector functions and that C5 is not a prerequisite for ADCC activation.     

Effect of transfer of fragment of chromosome 13, containing gene i16st on parameters of mouse temperature homeostasis

Mechanisms of maintenance of temperature homeostasis in warm and under effect of cold were studied in mice of AKR strain and of its coherent strain AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 with the changed gene i16st encoding the gp 130 receptor, via which IL-6 performs its action. Under thermoneutral conditions and under action of cold, there were recorded temperature parameters, total oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide release, respiratory coefficient, and electrical muscle activity. Animals of the studied strains demonstrated different reactions to equal cold effect. At cooling, all mice of the AKR strain entered the state of hypothermia by decreasing metabolism. Mice of the AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 line showed 2 different types of reaction: 39 % of the animals of this strain reacted like mice of the AKR strain, but the majority (61 %) resisted actively to the cold action, which was manifested as a marked increase of metabolism. Taking into account the gene penetrance, this can indicate effect of the gene i16st on choice of the active ("regulated") or passive ("dependent") way of the organism reacting to temperature actions.     

Further investigation of the increased transfer ribonucleic acid methylase activity in tumours of the mouse colon

1. Extracts prepared from tumours of the mouse colon induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine were considerably more active in catalysing the methylation of tRNA than were extracts from normal colon. The enhanced activity was observed when both unfractionated ;methyl-deficient' tRNA and purified tRNA preparations from yeast and bacteria were used as substrates for methylation. 2. The methylated bases produced in these reactions were identified. There were no differences between the products of the reaction catalysed by extracts of tumour and normal colon. 3. The increased activity of tRNA methylases was not due to the presence in the extracts of stimulatory or inhibitory molecules of low molecular weight such as polyamines or S-adenosylhomocysteine. 4. Other enzymes concerned with tRNA metabolism (RNA polymerase, ATP-tRNA adenylyltransferase, aminoacyl-tRNA ligases) were also increased in activity in the tumour tissue. 5. The extent of methylation of a limiting amount of tRNA was greater when tumour extracts were compared with controls, but in no case was it possible to achieve a stoicheiometric methylation of the purified tRNA preparations used as substrates, and the tumour extracts were not able to methylate tRNA obtained from normal mouse colon. We conclude that the tumours contained greater activities of tRNA methylases but that there was no evidence for changes in the specificity of these enzymes during neoplastic growth.     

Maternally transmitted resistance to lymphoma development in mice of reciprocal crosses of the RF/J and AKR/J strains

Females but not males of the low-lymphoma RF/J strain transmit a non-Mendelian factor which suppresses the development of lymphoma in F1 crosses with mice of the high-lymphoma AKR/J strain. Suppression of lymphoma was also evident in the first backcross generation to the parental AKR strain, but only when (RF female x AKR male)F1 mice had been the female parent. This "maternal resistance factor" was transmitted independently of the dominant, lymphoma-suppressing Fv-1n allele transmitted by both males and females of the RF strain, but the suppressive capacities of the two factors appeared to be additive. In this cross, F1 progeny of RF females also showed marked suppression of ecotropic murine leukemia virus expression by comparison with mice of the reciprocal F1 cross, but this suppression of virus expression was not detected in the lymphoma-suppressed AKR backcross population. The observation of lymphoma suppression in the absence of ectropic virus suppression in mice of the (RF X AKR)F1 female x AKR male backross generation indicates a qualitative or quantitative difference in the determination of these two effects.     

Isolation of a stimulatory factor for nuclear DNA replication

Aqueous extracts of isolated nuclei and intact plasmodia of Physarum contain a heat-stable stimulator of nuclear DNA replication. The stimulatory factor is present throughout the mitotic cycle, and its activity is unaffected by prior exposure of plasmodia to cycloheximide. The stimulatory substance has been partially purified by heat treatment, precipitation with ethanol, chromatography on DEAE cellulose, and gel filtration. The purified material contains both carbohydrate and protein, and exhibits a molecular weight of about 30 000. The active substance increases the rate and overall extent of DNA replication in S-phase nuclei, but does not trigger the initiation of DNA synthesis in nuclei isolated from G2-phase plasmodia. The stimulatory material contains little or no deoxyribonuclease or DNA polymerase activity, and it does not affect DNA polymerase activity assayed using a purified DNA template.     

Effect of transfer of the chromosome 13 fragment containing gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">il6st</Emphasis> on parameters of temperature homeostasis in mice

Mechanisms of maintenance of temperature homeostasis in warm and under effect of cold were studied in mice of AKR line and of its coherent line AKR.CBA-D13Mit76 with the changed gene i16 encoding the gp130 receptor via which IL-6 performs its action. Under thermoneutral conditions and under action of cold, there were recorded temperature parameters, total oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide release, respiratory coefficient, and electrical muscle activity. Animals of the studied lines demonstrated different reactions to equal cold effect. At cooling, all mice of the AKR line entered the state of hypothermia by decreasing metabolism. Mice of the AKR.CBAD13Mit76 line showed 2 different types of reaction: 39% of animals of this line reacted like mice of the AKR line, but the majority (61%) resisted actively to the cold action, which was manifested as a marked increase of metabolism. Taking into account the gene penetrance, this can indicate effect of the gene i16 on choice of the active (“regulated”) or passive (“dependent”) way of the organism reacting to temperature actions.     

Cell surface expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-defined, AKR/Gross leukemia virus-associated tumor antigens by normal AKR.H-2b splenic B cells

We previously described a system in which H-2Kb-restricted C57BL/6 (B6) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) could be raised that were specific for tumors, such as the thymic lymphoma AKR.H-2b SL1, that were induced by endogenous AKR/Gross murine leukemia virus and that expressed the Gross cell surface antigen. In this study, certain normal lymphoid cells from AKR.H-2b mice were also found to express target antigens defined by such anti-AKR/Gross virus CTL. AKR.H-2b spleen, but surprisingly not thymus, cells stimulated the production of anti-AKR/Gross virus CTL when employed at either the in vivo priming phase or the in vitro restimulation phase of anti-viral CTL induction. This selective stimulation by spleen vs thymus cells was not dependent on the age of the mice over the range (3 to 28 wk) tested. Both AKR.H-2b spleen and thymus cells, however, were able to stimulate the generation of H-2-restricted B6 anti-AKR minor histocompatibility (H) antigen-specific CTL. Thus, AKR.H-2b spleen cells appeared to display the same sets (minor H and virus-associated) of cell surface antigens recognized by CTL as the AKR.H-2b SL1 tumor, whereas AKR.H-2b thymocytes were selectively missing the virus-associated target antigens, a situation analogous to that of cl. 18-5, a variant subclone of AKR.H-2b SL1 insusceptible to anti-AKR/Gross virus CTL. Like AKR.H-2b thymocytes, neither AKR spleen cells or thymocytes nor B6.GIX + thymocytes were able to stimulate the generation of anti-AKR/Gross virus CTL from primed B6 responder cell populations. In contrast, both T cell-enriched and B cell-enriched preparations derived from AKR.H-2b spleen cells were able to stimulate at the in vitro phase of induction, although B cell-enriched preparations were considerably more efficient. The discordant results obtained with AKR.H-2b spleen cells vs thymocytes were confirmed and extended in experiments in which these cells were employed as target cells to directly assess the cell surface expression of virus-associated, CTL-defined antigens. Thus, AKR.H-2b spleen cells, but not thymocytes, were recognized by anti-AKR/Gross virus CTL when fresh normal cells were tested as unlabeled competitive inhibitors, or when mitogen blasts were tested as labeled targets. Fresh or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated B cell-enriched spleen cells were as efficiently recognized as unseparated spleen cell preparations. Unexpectedly, fresh or Lens culinaris hemagglutinin-stimulated T cell-enriched spleen cell preparations, although susceptible to anti-minor H CTL, were almost as poor as targets for anti-viral CTL as were thymocytes. Together, these results demonstrate the H-2-restricted expression of CTL-defined, endogenous, AKR/Gross virus-associated target antigens by normal AKR.H-2b splenic B cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Resistance to transplantation of spontaneous AKR lymphoma cells by substrains of AKR mice. In vivo resistance and generation of an H-2 restricted CML response.

High leukemia incidence AKR/J (H-2k, Thy 1.1) and AKR/Cu (H-2k, Thy 1.2) substrains of AKR mice reject the reciprocal strains spontaneously arising lymphoma cells. In the course of rejection, splenic precursor cells are generated which, upon secondary stimulation in vitro, result in specific cytotoxic T-cells. The antigenic component of AKR cells resulting in this secondary CML response resides on both lymphoma and normal T- and B-cells, and is distinct from the Thy antigen. Primed AKR/J lymphocytes will respond to and only lyse immunogens and targets homologous at the K- and-or D-end of the MHC, while primed AKR/Cu cells require homology at the D-end of the MHC.     

Genetic analysis of the mammalian K+ channel beta subunit Kvbeta 2 (Kcnab2)

Kvbeta2 binds to K(+) channel alpha subunits from at least two different families (Kv1 and Kv4) and is a member of the aldo-ketoreductase (AKR) superfamily. Proposed functions for this protein in vivo include a chaperone-like role in Kv1 alpha subunit biogenesis and catalytic activity as an AKR oxidoreductase. To investigate the in vivo function of Kvbeta2, Kvbeta2-null and point mutant (Y90F) mice were generated through gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. In Kvbeta2-null mice, Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 localize normally in cerebellar basket cell terminals and the juxtaparanodal region of myelinated nerves. Moreover, normal glycosylation patterns are observed for Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 in whole brain lysates. Thus, loss of the chaperone-like activity does not appear to account for the phenotype of Kvbeta2-null mice, which include reduced life spans, occasional seizures, and cold swim-induced tremors similar to that observed in Kv1.1-null mice. Mice expressing Kvbeta2, mutated at a site (Y90F) that abolishes AKR-like catalytic activity in other family members, have no overt phenotype. We conclude that Kvbeta2 contributes to regulation of excitability in vivo, although not directly through either chaperone-like or typical AKR catalytic activity. Rather, Kvbeta2 relies upon as yet unidentified mechanisms in the regulation of K(+) channel and/or oxidoreductive functions.     

The phosphorylase kinase deficiency (Phk) locus in the mouse: Evidence that the mutant allele codes for an enzyme with an abnormal structure

Female (I/St X C57BL/St) F1 mice heterozygous at the sex-linked phosphorylase kinase deficiency locus (Phk) have phosphorylase kinase activities averaging 86% that of mice homozygous for the wild-type allele (C57BL/St), i.e., 72% greater than the sum of one-half the activities of the parental strains. Approximately one-half the phosphorylase kinase activity in the (I X C57BL) F1 muscle extracts had a stability at 42.5 C similar to that of the activity in C57BL extracts (t1/2 = 13.2 min); the other half of the activity in the F1 extracts was more labile (t1/2 = 3.9 min). Two species of phosphorylase kinase activity in F1 muscle extracts were also differentiated with an antiserum prepared in guinea pigs against purified rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. This anti-serum cross-reacted with phosphorylase kinase in C57BL muscle extracts but did not cross-react with skeletal muscle extracts of mice hemi- or homozygous for the mutant allele (I/LnJ). The guinea pig antiserum precipitated 52% as much protein from (I X C57BL)F1 muscle extracts compared to those of C57BL. However, an antiserum prepared against purified rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase in the goat cross-reacted with the mutant phosphorylase kinase. The ratio C57BL:(I X C57BL)F1:I of immunoprecipitated protein from skeletal muscle extracts with this antiserum was 1:0.97:1.08. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipitates in the presence of 0.1% sodium dodecylsulfate showed three subunits for mouse phosphorylase kinase with molecular weights of 139,000, 118,000, and 41,000; these values are similar to the ones obtained with purified rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. These three subunits were also observed in immunoprecipitates from I/LnJ muscle extracts. These results offer substantial evidence (1) that in skeletal muscle extracts of mice heterozygous at the Phk locus the mutant phosphorylase kinase is active, (2) that the gene product of the mutant allele is an enzyme with an abnormal structure, and (3) that the phosphorylase kinase deficiency in I/LnJ skeletal muscle extracts is not the result of the absence of phosphorylase kinase or one of its subunits.     

Partial purification of a high molecular weight hepatocyte growth stimulating factor from normal calf serum.

A heparin-binding protein, acting as a potent hepatocyte growth stimulating factor (HGSF) was extracted and partially purified from normal calf serum. HGSF stimulated DNA synthesis and proliferation in primary cultures of adult Balb/c mouse hepatocytes and in two liver-derived epithelial cell lines (C6 and C2.8) plated at low cell density in serum-free medium in the absence of epidermal growth factor. HGSF was non-dialyzable in M(r) 50,000 cutoff membranes, and was purified after chromatofocusing on PBE94 resin, (NH4)2SO4 precipitation (80% salt concentration) of the active fractions eluted at pH 5.7, flow chromatography and elution through Sephacryl S300 HR and HA-Ultrogel columns. The hepatotrophic activity was eluted with a protein fraction that was concentrated approximately 40,000 fold over the starting material. The effect was half maximal at approximately 50 ng/ml on adult hepatocytes in primary culture, HGSF had a molecular weight of 90,000-110,000 by gel filtration, was unstable on heat-treatment and was completely inhibited after trypsin digestion and after reduction with dithiothreitol. HGSF did not stimulate growth in Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts. When injected into partially (40%) hepatectomized Balb/c mice, HGSF increased hepatic DNA synthesis 2 to 4-fold over the background stimulation, at 20 hours after the hepatectomy.     

Termination of the B cell lymphoma dormant state in thymectomized AKR mice.

AKR mice are highly susceptible to spontaneous T cell lymphomagenesis and thymus removal at the age of 1 to 3 mo greatly reduces its development. Twelve-mo-old AKR mice thymectomized at young age were shown previously to carry potential lymphoma cells that could be triggered to develop into B cell lymphomas (80 to 100%) after removal from their host "restrictive" environment into young histocompatible hosts. Additional attempts were made to terminate the potential lymphoma cell dormant state in 12-mo-old thymectomized AKR mice. Replenishment of some deficiencies caused by thymectomy at a young age, including a s.c. syngeneic thymus graft or a single injection of the dual tropic recombinant virus isolates DTV-71 or MCF-247 into 12-mo-old thymectomized AKR mice resulted in Ly-1+ pre-B or B cell lymphoma development in 80 to 98% of these treated mice. In vivo elimination of T cell subsets by administration of cyclosporin A or by mAb expressed on Th cells (anti-CD4) or cytotoxic T cells (anti-CD8) stimulated the progression of dormant potential lymphoma cells towards B cell lymphoma development. The most striking results were observed after administration of anti-CD8 mAb: 90 to 100% of these treated mice developed Ly-1+ B cell lymphomas within 80 days. The effect of rIL-2 on dormant PLC was also tested. Administration of rIL-2 to 12-mo-old thymectomized mice terminated tumor dormancy in 94% of the treated mice within 66 days. Tests of the resulting B lymphomas for dual tropic recombinant virus/mink cell focus-inducing virus infection indicated that the breakdown of tumor dormancy did not result from development of pathogenic class I mink cell focus-inducing viruses. These results suggest that T cell subsets and/or their products are involved in the proliferation arrest of potential lymphoma cells present in thymectomized AKR mice.     

Biochemical Characterization of Lipoxygenase Lacking Mutants,L-l-less,L-2-less,and L-3-less Soybeans

In this paper, lipoxygenase lacking mutants were characterized in comparison with normal soybeans. The three lipoxygenase isozymes (L-l, L-2, and L-3) in crude seed extracts of normal soybeans were resolved clearly by an improved SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. As expected, the three mutant types, L-l-less (P. I. 408251 and 133226), L-2-less (P. I. 86023), and L-3 less (Wasenatsu and Ichigowase) soybeans did not give L-l, L-2, and L-3 protein bands, respectively on a single dimension SDS gel.

An anti L-2 serum obtained from a rabbit reacted not only with the purified L-2 protein, but also partially with the purified L-l and L-3 proteins. By double immunodiffusion and immuno-disc gel electrofocusing analyses using the anti L-2 serum, L-l, L-2, and L-3 isozymes could not be detected in crude seed extracts from P.I. 408251, P. I. 86023, and Wasenatsu soybeans, respectively.

Three lipoxygenase activity peaks (L-l, L-2, and L-3 enzyme peaks) and a small unknown activity peak eluted right after the L-l peak were fractionated by DEAE-Sephacel column chromatography of crude seed extracts of Raiden (normal) soybeans. The chromatographic analyses have demonstrated that both the L-l and the unknown enzyme activities disappear completely in the L-l-less type soybean seeds, and that the L-2 and L-3 enzyme activities disappear completely in P. I. 86023 and the L-3-less type soybean seeds, respectively.     

Induction of suppressor cells by a tumor-derived suppressor factor

Murine fibrosarcomas produce a factor that activates suppressor cells to inhibit expression of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). This tumor-derived suppressor factor (TDSF) was partially purified by preparative isoelectric focusing of spent medium and 3 M KCl extracts of cultured methylcholanthrene-induced and spontaneous fibrosarcomas of C3H/He mice. Incubation of 1 micrograms/ml of a fraction, isoelectric pH less than 2.9, with normal syngeneic spleen cells for 1-6 hr at 37 degrees C induced suppressor cells that inhibited the primary DTH response to DNCB upon intraperitoneal transfer to normal C3H/HeJ mice. TDSF was not present in extracts of either syngeneic embryonic fibroblasts or normal spleen cells or in medium conditioned by normal peritoneal exudate cells but was present in 3 M KCl extracts of and the spent medium from four different cultured murine fibrosarcomas. TDSF activity was not restricted at the major histocompatibility complex. The suppressor cells inhibited the efferent limb of the DTH response because (1) hyporesponsive recipients of TDSF-treated spleen cells had splenic effector T cells capable of transferring DTH to DNCB into naive secondary recipients and (2) the ability of Lyt 1+,2- effector Tdth cells to transfer a secondary DTH response to DNCB was inhibited by co-incubation with macrophages or Lyt 1-,2+ T cells treated with TDSF. Preliminary biochemical analysis suggested that TDSF was an RNA- protein complex. Thus, several murine fibrosarcomas produced a soluble factor that activated splenic suppressor cells to depress the immune response to nonneoplastic antigens. These suppressor factors represent a novel group of regulatory molecules which may be ribonucleoprotein complexes.     

Experimental Models for Prevention of Graft-versus-Host Reaction in Bone Marrow Transfusion

Induction and suppression of splenomegaly and cytotoxicity against C57BL/6 cells were studied in (AKR × C57BL/6) F1 hybrid adult mice after the transfer of AKR lymphoid and bone marrow cells. 1) Splenomegaly and cytotoxicity were dissociated in the developmental stages of the graft-versus-host reaction. When lymphoid and bone marrow cells of normal AKR mice were injected into F1 recipients, splenomegaly was prominent on days 5 and 7, but cytotoxicity of spleen cells was not detected. Splenomegaly became less prominent but the cytotoxicity became detectable on day 14 after the injection. 2) Cytotoxic activity of spleen cells of F1 recipients was suppressed by the treatment of AKR donors with C57BL/6 lymphoid cells in Freund's complete adjuvant. Splenomegaly, however, was substantially enhanced by such a treatment of the donors. On the other hand, induction of the cytotoxic activity was facilitated by the treatment of donors with C57BL/6 skin grafts. 3) F1 hybrid mice could be protected from the graft-versus-host reaction by the injection of AKR anti-C57BL/6 serum or pretreatment of AKR donors with sonicated cellular antigens of C57BL/6.     

Experimental models for prevention of graft-versus-host reaction in bone marrow transfusion. I. Selective suppression and augmentation of splenomegaly and cytotoxicity.

Induction and suppression of splenomegaly and cytotoxicity against C57BL/L cells were studied in (AKR X C57BL/6) F1 hybrid adult mice after the transfer of AKR lymphoid and bone marrow cells. 1) Splenomegaly and cytotoxicity were dissociated in the developmental stages of the graft-versus-host reaction. When lymphoid and bone marrow cells of normal AKR mice were injected into F1 recipients, splenomegaly was prominent on days 5 and 7, but cytotoxicity of spleen cells was not detected. Splenomegaly became less prominent but the cytotoxicity became detectable on day 14 after the injection. 2) Cytotoxic activity of spleen cells of F1 recipients was suppressed by the treatment of AKR donors with C57BL/6 lymphoid cells in Freund's complete adjuvant. Splenomegaly, however, was substantially enhanced by such a treatment of the donors. On the other hand, induction of the cytotoxic activity was facilitated by the treatment of donors with C57BL/6 skin grafts. 3) F1 hybrid mice could be protected from the graft-versus-host reaction by the injection of AKR anti-C57BL/6 serum or pretreatment of AKR donors with sonicated cellular antigens of C57BL/6.