Inflammation amplifies the antitumor cytostasis by human peritoneal macrophages.

The effect of an inflammatory environment on the antitumor cytostatic ability of human macrophages was examined. Peritoneal macrophages of patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) were collected, when CAPD was without complication, during an intercurrent infectious inflammation and after recovery. Inhibition of 3H-thymidine uptake served as a measure of cytostasis by macrophages co-cultured with target murine cells MOPC-315 plasmacytoma, WEHI-3B myelomonocytic leukemia and L929 transformed fibroblasts. Macrophages from inflammatory peritoneum expressed a markedly enhanced cytostasis, irrespective of the nature of the tumor cell. Endotoxin (LPS) challenge of inflammatory macrophages failed to further reinforce the cytostasis towards MOPC-315 plasmacytoma, but reinforced the cytostasis towards WEHI-3B leukemia (sensitive to inhibition by IL-1) and towards L929 (sensitive to TNF alpha). Cytostasis by supernatants of human peritoneal macrophages against L929 was markedly inhibited by anti-rHuTNF alpha and against WEHI-3B by anti-rHuIL-1 beta. The results suggest a link between inflammatory function and antitumor cytostasis by macrophages. This link is constituted by mediators involved in the activation process of macrophages.     

Development of resistance to MOPC-315 plasmacytoma after intralesional and intraperitoneal melphalan therapy of tumor-bearing BALB/c mice. II. Enhancement of in vitro cell-mediated cytotoxicity by combined chemotherapy-immunotherapy

As previously reported, tumor-bearing BALB/c mice can be cured by split-course melphalan therapy, with 40-60% of the treated animals developing resistance to subsequent challenge with viable MOPC-315. The present study deals with the identification of effector-cytotoxic cells that may be developed as a result of chemotherapy-induced tumor regression and their possible potentiation by active, specific immunization with melphalan- and glutaraldehyde-treated MOPC-315 plasmacytoma cells. The cytotoxic potential of spleen-derived lymphocytes in treated animals could be demonstrated only after in vitro sensitization against mitomycin-treated MOPC-315 cells. Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity, as measured against syngeneic 51Cr-labeled MOPC-315, could be detected in melphalan-cured animals and was significantly enhanced by active immunization as compared to the cytotoxicity seen in normal and tumor-bearing mice. With the use of M109 syngeneic, unrelated tumor cells as control targets in the assay, no cytotoxicity was detected. Macrophage cytotoxicity was not significantly enhanced in any of the treatment groups described, with these assays performed 6-8 weeks following treatment and cure. When in vitro killing of MOPC-315 targets was tested with the use of peritoneal macrophages harvested shortly following cure of ascitic tumor by ip injected melphalan, the cytotoxic response was significantly enhanced. In conclusion, following chemotherapy-mediated cure of established MOPC-315 tumors, splenic lymphocytes exhibited enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity, which was further augmented by active immunization. Macrophage activation, as measured by direct cytotoxicity against MOPC-315 targets, was found to occur locally and early following the event of melphalan-induced tumor regression.     

Some characteristics of the cyclophosphamide-induced immunopotentiating cells in the spleen of mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor

We have shown previously (Ye, Q-W., and Mokyr, M. B. Cancer Res., 44: 3873-3879, 1984) that, following low-dose cyclophosphamide (CY) therapy (15 mg/kg) of mice bearing a large s.c. MOPC-315 tumor and extensive metastases, T-cell-dependent immunopotentiating activity appears in their hitherto immunosuppressive Sephadex G-10-adherent spleen cell population. Here we show that the CY-induced immunopotentiating T-cells express the Lyt 1, Lyt 2, and L3T4 phenotypes. The phenotype of the immunopotentiating T-cells was deduced from our observations that depletion of Lyt 1+, Lyt 2+, or L3T4+ cells from the Sephadex G-10-adherent spleen cell population of CY-treated tumor bearers abolished the ability of the adherent cells to enhance the generation of antitumor cytotoxicity when added to the in vitro immunization culture of normal spleen cells. Moreover, admixture of a Sephadex G-10-adherent cell population depleted of Lyt 2+ cells with a Sephadex G-10-adherent cell population depleted of L3T4+ cells failed to restore the immunopotentiating activity, indicating that T-cells that are apparently expressing simultaneously the Lyt 2 and L3T4 antigens are required for the exertion of the CY-induced immunopotentiating activity. The CY-induced immunopotentiating T-cells from MOPC-315 tumor bearers brought about the appearance of enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity not only against the MOPC-315 tumor cells, but also against two other syngeneic plasmacytomas, with surface immunoglobulin of a different class and antigenic specificity than the MOPC-315 tumor cells, as well as against a variant MOPC-315 tumor line which lacks surface immunoglobulin. The CY-induced immunopotentiating T-cells did not enhance the appearance of antitumor cytotoxicity against a syngeneic (WEHI 22.1) or an allogeneic (EL4) tumor of T-cell origin nor against the natural killer-sensitive YAC-1 cells. Thus, L3T4+, Lyt2+ T-cells from CY-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers enhance the generation of antitumor cytotoxicity that is directed against plasmacytoma shared antigens other than immunoglobulins.     

Lysis of antigenically unrelated tumor cells mediated by Lyt 2+ splenic T-cells from melphalan-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers

We have previously shown that mice cured of a large MOPC-315 tumor following low-dose melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard, L-PAM) therapy can exert, upon challenge with MOPC-315 tumor cells, an antitumor effect against innocent bystander tumor cells present within the same tumor site (Barker, E., and Mokyr, M.B. Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 25: 215-224, 1987). Here we show that T-cells are important for the MOPC-315-induced rejection of MOPC-104E tumor cells present within the same site. To further characterize the innocent bystander killing activity exerted by L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers upon stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells, we established the in vitro conditions under which lymphoid cells from L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers can exert an antitumor effect against innocent bystanders. Specifically, we established that spleen cells from mice that just completed the rejection of a large MOPC-315 tumor following low-dose L-PAM therapy can, upon stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells, bring about the killing of antigenically unrelated tumor cells in a 12-h 51Cr release assay. The magnitude of lysis of EL4 and WEHI 22.1 tumor cells by MOPC-315 in vitro-immunized (IVI) spleen cells from L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers can be substantially enhanced upon reexposure of the spleen cells to MOPC-315-associated antigens during the 12-h 51Cr release assay. The lysis of innocent bystander tumor cells by these MOPC-315-IVI spleen cells was found to be mediated by T-cells of the Lyt 2 and not the L3T4 phenotype. These Lyt 2+ T-cells did not appear to mediate their lytic activity for innocent bystander tumor cells via effector macrophages, since a drastic reduction in macrophage frequency among the MOPC-315-IVI spleen cells just prior to assessing the lytic activity of the spleen cells did not reduce, but actually enhanced, the magnitude of EL4 lysis. In addition, a Lyt 2+ T-cell clone derived from mice cured of a large MOPC-315 tumor by a low dose of drug was capable, upon stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells, of exerting a potent lytic effect against EL4 and WEHI 22.1 tumor cells in the 12-h 51Cr release assay. Thus, Lyt 2+ T-cells independent of effector macrophages are responsible for lysis of innocent bystander tumor cells by MOPC-315-IVI spleen cells from L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers.     

Importance of Lyt-2+ T-cells in the resistance of melphalan-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers to a challenge with MOPC-315 tumor cells

We have previously shown that mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor can be cured by a low dose of melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard; L-PAM) if T-cell-dependent antitumor immunity also aids in tumor eradication (S. Ben-Efraim et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 15: 101-107, 1983). Here we describe the phenotype of the T-cells that are responsible for the potent antitumor immunity exhibited by the L-PAM cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers. Initially, we identified the subset of T-cells responsible for the ability of spleen cells from L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers to neutralize tumor growth in the local adoptive transfer assay. The tumor-neutralizing activity of spleen cells from L-PAM-cured tumor bearers was drastically reduced when the spleen cells were depleted either in vitro or in vivo of Lyt-2+ cells. On the other hand, the tumor-neutralizing activity of spleen cells from L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers was not reduced, but actually enhanced, when the spleen cells were depleted either in vitro or in vivo of L3T4+ cells. The Lyt-2+ T-cells, and not the L3T4+ T-cells, were also found to be important for the ability of the intact L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers to reject a challenge with MOPC-315 tumor cells. Specifically, treatment of L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers with monoclonal anti-Lyt-2.2 antibody drastically reduced the ability of the mice to reject the tumor challenge. In contrast, treatment of the L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers with monoclonal anti-L3T4 antibody did not interfere with the ability of the mice to reject the tumor challenge, yet the same protocol of anti-L3T4 antibody treatment abolished the ability of splenic T-cells to provide help for the generation of a primary T-cell-dependent antibody response. The resistance of the L-PAM-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers to challenge with MOPC-315 tumor cells was also dependent on the participation of carrageenan-sensitive effector cells, most likely macrophages, in tumor eradication. However, the immunity mediated by the T-cells, independent of carrageenan-sensitive effector cells, was extremely powerful and sufficient for the rejection of a tumor challenge with at least 300-fold, and possibly even 3000-fold, the minimal lethal dose of MOPC-315 tumor cells for 100% of normal mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Generation of anti-MOPC-315 cytotoxicity in uneducated or in vitro educated spleen cells from normal or MOPC-315 tumor-bearing mice pretreated in vivo with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin

Cultured spleen cells from normal or MOPC-315 tumor-bearing BALB/c mice that were pretreated in vivo with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against MOPC-315 plasmacytoma. In vitro education of BALB/c spleen cells from normal or tumor-bearing mice by cocultivation with mitomycin C-treated MOPC-315 stimulator cells also resulted in antitumor cytotoxicity. The combination of BCG pretreatment of donor mice with the in vitro education of their spleen cells resulted in a level of anti-MOPC-315 cytotoxicity that was greater than the sum of the levels of cytotoxicity exhibited by spleen cells subjected to either process alone. The levels of cytotoxicity exhibited by educated or uneducated spleen cells from BCG-pretreated mice were dependent on the dose of BCG used and on the time interval between in vivo pretreatment and the initiation of in vitro culture. Thus, our findings suggest that educated spleen cells from tumor-bearing hosts that were pretreated with BCG might be useful in immunotherapeutic regimens requiring histocompatible cells with augmented antitumor cytotoxicity.     

Induction of protective antitumor immune response against a murine plasmacytoma not curable by alkylating-drug treatment

Immunization with viable tumor cells followed by subsequent administration of glutaraldehyde-treated tumor cells induced a protective antitumor immune response in the host toward the alkylating-drug resistant RPC-5 plasmacytoma. This was proven by resistance to challenge with RPC-5 tumor cells, neutralization in Winn tests, by effectiveness of combined chemotherapy with melphalan plus immunotherapy with spleen cells from RPC-5 immunized mice and in vitro by cytotoxicity tests. The specificity of the immune response was ascertained in vivo by comparison with the response toward MOPC-315 plasmacytoma. However, in vitro cytotoxicity tests revealed the occurrence of shared antigens between the RPC-5 and MOPC-315 tumor cells. It is concluded that the ineffectiveness of alkylating-drug treatment toward the RPC-5 tumor is not due to the inability of this tumor to induce a specific antitumor immune response, and that cross-antigenic relationship as revealed by in vitro cytotoxicity tests does not necessarily reflect cross-protection between various plasmacytomas.     

Importance of tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells in eradication of a large subcutaneous MOPC-315 tumor following low-dose melphalan therapy

We have previously demonstrated that depletion of CD8+ T-cells by the use of a monoclonal anti-Lyt-2.2 antibody abolishes the curative effectiveness of low-dose melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard; L-PAM) therapy for BALB/c mice bearing a large (greater than or equal to 20 mm) s.c. MOPC-315 tumor and extensive metastases (Mokyr et al., Cancer Res., 49: 4597-4606, 1989). Here we show that as a consequence of low-dose L-PAM therapy, CD8+ T-cells accumulate in the s.c. tumor nodules of MOPC-315 tumor bearers. Specifically, an 80-fold increase in the number of CD8+ T-cells was seen within 5 days after the chemotherapy. Treatment of MOPC-315 tumor bearers with low-dose L-PAM in conjunction with monoclonal anti-Thy-1.2 or anti-Lyt-2.2 antibody, in contrast to treatment with monoclonal anti-L3T4 antibody, prevented the appearance of the massive CD8+ T-cell infiltrate in the s.c. tumor nodules. Fresh CD8+ T-cells derived from s.c. MOPC-315 tumor nodules that were regressing as a consequence of low-dose L-PAM therapy exhibited a potent direct lytic activity against the MOPC-315 plasmacytoma in a short-term in vitro assay. The specificity of the lytic activity exhibited by the CD8+ T-cells was illustrated not only by the inability of the CD8+ T-cells to lyse two antigenically unrelated thymomas (the WEHI 22.1 and the EL-4) and a natural killer-sensitive lymphoma (the YAC-1), but also by their relatively weak lytic activity against an antigenically related plasmacytoma (the MOPC-104E). Thus, CD8+ T-cells that infiltrate the s.c. tumor nodules of MOPC-315 tumor bearers following low-dose L-PAM therapy most likely exploit a CTL-type lytic mechanism to eradicate at least part of the large tumor burden not eliminated by the direct antitumor effects of the drug.     

Murine leukemia viruses: induction of macrophage production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in vitro

Infection in vitro of freshly explanted N:NIH(S) mouse bone marrow with ectopic murine leukemia viruses produced an increase over control uninfected cultures in the 50 or more cell granulocyte-macrophage (GM) colonies and 10-49 cell clusters detected after 7 days of incubation in 0.3% agar at 37 degrees C and 7% CO2. This effect was observed only at plating densities above 5.0 X 10(4) cells/ml and was not observed with macrophage-depleted populations of colony-forming units of GM progenitor cells (GM-CFUc) purified by isopyknic density gradient centrifugation of nonadherent cells harvested from long-term bone marrow cultures. Fewer virus-infected, compared to uninfected, peritoneal exudate macrophages were required to stimulate the same number of GM colonies and clusters in a given number of purified GM-CFUc. In contrast, murine leukemia virus infection of T-lymphocytes or NIH/3T3 embryo fibroblasts did not stimulate release of GM-CFUc coloney-stimulating factor (CSF). Single Cell suspensions of virus-infected freshly explanted whole bone marrow grown in CSF concentrated from L929 or WEHI-3 cell-conditioned medium produced more GM-CFUc colonies and GM clusters/1 X 10(5) cells compared to single cell suspensions of uninfected marrow. This phenomenon suggests that the colonoy-forming cells responding to CSF from virus-infected marrow may have been different from those responding to L929 or WEHI-3 cell CSF. The data indicate that increased granulopoiesis observed following retrovirus infection in vivo or in long-term marrow cultures was attributable in part to virus stimulation of production of CSF by adherent marrow stromal cells including macrophages.     

Importance of Lyt 2+ T-cells in the curative effectiveness of a low dose of melphalan for mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor

We have previously demonstrated that the curative effectiveness of a low dose (2.5 mg/kg) of melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard; L-PAM) for mice bearing a large s.c. (approximately 20 mm in diameter) MOPC-315 tumor and extensive metastases requires the participation of T-cell-dependent antitumor immunity in tumor eradication (S. Ben-Efraim et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 15: 101-107, 1983). Here we show that the Lyt 2+ T-cells, and not the L3T4+ T-cells, participate in the cure of such tumor-bearing mice by a low dose of L-PAM. Specifically, depletion of Lyt 2+ T-cells from mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor by treatment with monoclonal anti-Lyt 2.2 antibody abolished the curative effectiveness of the low dose of drug. In contrast, depletion of L3T4+ T-cells from mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor by treatment with monoclonal anti-L3T4 antibody did not reduce significantly the curative effectiveness of the low dose of drug. Histological examination of tumor nodules on various days following low-dose L-PAM therapy revealed widespread lymphocytic infiltration by Day 5 following the chemotherapy, and this infiltration was drastically reduced when the L-PAM-treated tumor bearers were treated with either anti-Thy 1.2 or anti-Lyt 2.2 antibody but not with anti-L3T4 antibody. The antitumor immunity exhibited by Lyt 2+ T-cells derived from mice which were in the process of eradicating a large MOPC-315 tumor following low-dose L-PAM therapy was exploited successfully to confer systemic antitumor immunity to mice bearing a barely palpable tumor. Specifically, the adoptively transferred Lyt 2+ splenic T-cells, in conjunction with a subcurative dose of L-PAM, brought about the cure of most mice. The Lyt 2+ splenic T-cells from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers were also found to be capable of exerting a direct potent lytic effect against MOPC-315 tumor cells in an antigen-specific manner. Thus, it is conceivable that the direct cytotoxic activity of Lyt 2+ T-cells for MOPC-315 tumor cells is responsible, at least in part, for the ability of the Lyt 2+ T-cells from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers to bring about the eradication of the tumor burden not eradicated through the direct antitumor effects of the low dose of drug.     

Melphalan-induced enhancement of antitumor immune reactivity in thymocytes of adult BALB/c mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor

At no stage of tumor growth are thymocytes from MOPC-315 tumor bearers capable of bringing about the generation of enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity when added to immunization cultures of syngeneic normal spleen cells and "autochthonous" tumor cells. However, by Day 7 after low-dose melphalan [L-PAM (L-phenylalanine mustard)] therapy of mice bearing a large (greater than or equal to 20 mm) s.c. MOPC-315 tumor, their thymocytes exhibit such activity and it persists for at least 17 additional days. The ability of thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers to bring about the generation of enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity when added to immunization cultures of normal spleen cells and MOPC-315 tumor cells is evident over a 10-fold range of responder/stimulator cell ratios, and requires the presence of the thymocytes within the first day after initiation of the 5-day immunization cultures. In addition, immunization cultures containing normal spleen cells and thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers exhibit enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity by Day 4 after culture initiation that persists for at least 3 additional days. Thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers are able to bring about the generation of enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity only in response to stimulation with autochthonous tumor cells but not in response to stimulation with unrelated allogeneic EL4 tumor cells. The apparent specificity of the enhanced antitumor immune reactivity of thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers is not the result of extensive metastasis of tumor cells to the thymus. In fact, no tumor cells were found in the thymuses of MOPC-315 tumor bearers with methods that can detect 1 X 10(3) tumor cells, indicating that if MOPC-315 tumor cells metastasize at all into the thymus, the thymuses of mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor contain fewer than 1 X 10(3) tumor cells. Thus, thymocytes from mice which are engaged in the eradication of a large MOPC-315 tumor display enhanced antitumor immunity in response to stimulation with the autochthonous tumor cells. Such thymocytes may prove important to the outcome of low-dose L-PAM therapy for mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor, since the low-dose chemotherapy requires the contribution of T-cell-dependent antitumor immunity for its therapeutic effectiveness.     

Interleukin 2 requirement for the in vitro generation of antitumor cytotoxicity by thymocytes from melphalan-cured MOPC-315 tumor bearers

We have previously shown that enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity is generated when thymocytes from melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard; L-PAM)-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers, but not thymocytes from normal mice, are added to the immunization culture of syngeneic normal spleen cells and MOPC-315 tumor cells (Bartik et al., Cancer Res., 47: 4848-4855, 1987). Here we show that normal spleen cells produce, upon stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells, helper-like factors which are sufficient for thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers, but not for thymocytes from normal mice, to develop antitumor cytotoxicity in response to stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells. Since one of the helper-like factors produced by in vitro-immunized spleen cells is interleukin 2 (IL-2), we assessed the exogenous IL-2 requirements for the development of anti-MOPC-315 cytotoxicity in thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers, relative to thymocytes from normal mice. Thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers were found to require a 10-fold lower concentration of recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) than thymocytes from normal mice in order to develop antitumor cytotoxicity in response to stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells. The concentration of rIL-2 required for the development of anti-MOPC-315 cytotoxicity by thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers was also 10-fold lower than the concentration of rIL-2 required by thymocytes from untreated MOPC-315 tumor bearers or thymocytes from L-PAM-treated normal mice. In addition, at any concentration of rIL-2 employed, thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers developed a higher level of anti-MOPC-315 cytotoxicity than did thymocytes from normal mice, L-PAM-treated normal mice, or untreated MOPC-315 tumor bearers. The enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity exhibited by thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers, following in vitro stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells plus rIL-2, was evident not only against MOPC-315 tumor cells but also against other syngeneic plasmacytomas but not an allogeneic thymoma. In addition, thymocytes from L-PAM-treated MOPC-315 tumor bearers required less rIL-2 than thymocytes from normal mice to develop antitumor cytotoxicity in response to stimulation with MOPC-315-associated antigens but not in response to stimulation with an allogeneic antigenically unrelated thymoma (EL4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Biochemical and functional characterization of mature progeny purified from a myelomonocytic leukemia cell line

Comparative studies were performed on the cloned myelomonocytic leukemia cell line, WEHI-3B, and a subcloned line, WEHI-3BM6. WEHI-3BM6 cells were less responsive than WEHI-3B cells to differentiation factor (DF) present in the sera of mice injected with endotoxin (endotoxin serum, ES). WEHI-3BM6 cells produced only 8% monocytes after 6 days of incubation with ES compared with 68% monocytes produced by WEHI-3B cells. In the presence of ES the rate of differentiation of both cell lines was enhanced by the addition of actinomycin D (5 ng/ml) such that after 2 days of stimulation 62% of the cells were mature monocytes. Lysozyme content as well as the expression of α-napthyl acetate esterase were also increased by actinomycin D. As indicated by the shifts in modal fluoresence levels (209 vs 63), differentiating WEHI-3B cells showed an increase in the binding of an anti-neutrophil serum compared with untreated WEHI-3B cells. The binding of anti-neutrophil antibodies allowed the sorting of the mature monocytes from the blast cells in DF-treated WEHI-3B cells achieving a purity of 78%. Electrophoretic analysis of radiolabelled proteins from the cell extracts of WEHI-3B-derived monocytes showed close similaraties to normal murine peritoneal macrophages and distinct differences from the protein profiles of purified murine peritoneal polymorphs. A protein of 75,000 mol. wt present in the polymorphs was absent from the WEHI-3B monocytes.     

Antitumor activity and murine pharmacokinetics of parenteral acronycine

The lipophilic antitumor alkaloid acronycine (ACRO) was solubilized in the cosolvent system used for etoposide. ACRO in this etoposide diluent (VPD) was found to be cytotoxic (less than or equal to 50% colony formation in soft agar) in fresh human tumors from patients with renal cell cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and metastatic tumors of unknown primary. In P-glycoprotein-positive, multidrug-resistant (MDR) cell lines, ACRO in VPD was active in MDR Chinese hamster ovary cells but not against MDR L1210 murine leukemia cells, 8226 human myeloma cells, or human CCRF-CEM lymphoblasts. In mice, ACRO in VPD was active in two solid tumor models and an i.p. MOPC-315 plasmacytoma model. ACRO i.p. in 10% VPD (v/v%) produced significant tumor growth delays in (a) nude mice bearing human MCF-7 breast cancer xenografts and (b) C57BL mice bearing colon 38 tumor. In MOPC-315-bearing mice, a single i.p. ACRO dose of 25 mg/kg was as effective as melphalan (15 mg/kg) at prolonging life span. Finally, ACRO pharmacokinetics was evaluated in mice given single 25-mg/kg doses i.p. or p.o. The oral bioavailability of an ACRO solution in VPD was only 50% but both i.p. and p.o. regimens achieved plasma levels greater than 1.0 micrograms/ml. The plasma half-life was just under 2 h. These results show that parenteral ACRO in VPD comprises a cytotoxic antitumor agent with improved bioavailability over p.o. administration. ACRO is active in vitro against several human solid tumors but is cross-resistant in 3 of 4 MDR tumor cell lines. The prior clinical activity of p.o. ACRO in myeloma and the new results in MOPC-315 plasmacytomas in mice suggest that ACRO in VPD could have activity against human multiple myeloma.     

Protection against MOPC-315 plasmacytoma by immunization with C-type particle preparations.

Mice were given injections of C-type particles extracted from the ascitic fluid of plasmacytoma-bearing mice. These particles, extracted from MOPC-315 tumor-bearing mice and injected into BALB/c mice, protected them against challenge with MOPC-315 tumor cells. The protection was dependent upon tumor cell dose; 66% survival was observed with a lethal dose of tumor cells. No protection was observed against challenge with another plasmacytoma (S13). Attempts to protect mice against S-13 plasmacytoma by immunizing them with C-type particles originating from S-13 tumor-bearing mice were unsuccessful.     

Classification of anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs according to their immunopotentiating activity

Both melphalan (L-PAM: L phenylalanine mustard) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) expressed a cytotoxic effect in vitro on MOPC-315 plasmacytoma tumour cells. However, they differed in their chemotherapeutic effectiveness in BALB/c mice bearing large MOPC-315 plasmacytoma tumours. Therapy with L-PAM, 7.5 mg/kg induced permanent regression of tumours, whereas regression induced by 5-FU, 200 mg/kg, was only transient and the mice dies finally with tumours. Moreover, spleen cells of tumour bearing mice treated with L-PAM exhibited high specific cytotoxic potential in vitro whereas spleen cells from tumour bearing 5-FU treated mice were devoid of cytotoxic potential. Effectiveness of chemotherapy with L-PAM was antagonized by treatment in combination with 5-FU. L-PAM, but not 5-FU potentiated cell mediated contact sensitivity response in vivo and impaired induction of T-suppressor cells by ConA. The parameters mentioned above indicate that L-PAM behaves as an "immunopromoting" drug and 5-FU as a "nonimmunopromoting" drug.     

Macrophages induce antibody-dependent cytostasis but not lysis in guinea pig leukaemic cells.

Guinea pig and mouse peritoneal macrophages formed antibody-dependent rosettes with guinea pig L2C leukaemic cells, but were unable either to phagocytose the cells or to kill them extracellularly as judged by the retention of 51Cr. Macrophages previously activated by BCG in vivo also failed to exhibit phagocytosis or cytoxicity towards the antibody-coated cells. These failures could not be attributed to deficient function of the macrophages nor to antigenic modulation of the L2C cells. The antibodies involved were capable of mediating lysis by complement, and ADCC by human leukocytes. However macrophages were cytostatic to antibody-coated L2C cells in that uptake of 3H-thymidine or 3H-deoxycytidine was abruptly and in some cases completely inhibited upon cell contact being established. Antigenic modulation which had proceeded sufficiently to protect against lysis by complement did not protect against cytostasis. Syngeneic macrophages had greater cytostatic activity than did allogeneic or xenogeneic. Macrophage activation by BCG did not result in significantly increased cytostasis. A univalent antibody derivative Fab/c was also capable of mediating cytostatis by the macrophages.     

Effectiveness of low-dose melphalan treatment against a nonimmunogenic primary induced mouse plasmacytoma

The fourth i.p. passage of the plasmacytoma "PR" induced by repeated i.p. injections was used for testing chemotherapy with melphalan. The development of "PR" ascitic tumours was slower and the survival time of inoculated mice was longer than that of MOPC-315 inoculated mice. Moreover, the myeloma protein secreted by the "PR" tumour cells, differed from MOPC-315 secreted myeloma protein in its electrophoretic mobility (fast gamma-2) and its characteristics as IgG immunoglobulin. Chemotherapy by a single injection of melphalan 7.5 mg/kg was effective in preventing the development of both MOPC-315 ascitic tumours and "PR" ascitic tumours. Mice cured from MOPC-315 tumours, however, developed antitumour response as shown by resistance to challenge with a high tumourigenic dose and by development of cytotoxic response in vitro against MOPC-315 tumour cells by spleen cells taken from the cured mice. On the other hand, mice cured from "PR" tumour by melphalan were highly susceptible to challenge and their spleen cells were not able to develop a cytotoxic response in vitro against target "PR" tumour cells.     

Vaccination with leukemia cells expressing cell-surface-associated GM-CSF blocks leukemia induction in immunocompetent mice

The fundamental basis for immunotherapy of leukemia is that leukemic cells express specific antigens that are not expressed by normal hematopoietic cells. However, the host immune system appears to be tolerant to leukemia cells. To overcome this tolerance, we vaccinated immunocompetent mice with murine leukemia cells (WEHI-3B and BCR-ABL+ 32D cells) transduced with a specifically constructed transmembrane form of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (tmGM-CSF). The transduced cells expressed tmGM-CSF on the cell-surface. To determine whether tmGM-CSF-expressing WEHI-3B leukemia cells would prevent leukemia formation as a vaccine, immunocompetent mice (BALB/c and C3H/HEJ) were immunized with lethally irradiated murine leukemia cells expressing cell-surface tmGM-CSF before challenging mice with murine leukemia cells. Two immunocompetent mouse models were investigated, either WEHI-3B cells in BALB/c mice or BCR-ABL+ 32D cells in C3H/HEJ mouse. The results showed that 100% of WEHI-3B/tmGM-CSF-vaccinated BALB/c mice and about 65% of 32D+ BCR-ABL/tmGM-CSF-vaccinated C3H/HEJ mice were protected from leukemia after leukemia cell challenge, whereas all non-vaccinated mice succumbed to leukemia. Spleen and marrow cell suspensions from vaccinated mice challenged with WEHI-3B cells lacked detectable GFP+ WEHI-3B cells at 82 days post-challenge. A significant delay of death was observed in C3H/HEJ mice challenged with the very aggressive DA-1 cell line expressing BCR-ABL. Vaccination of mice with WEHI-3B/CD40L cells protected 80% of the mice from the WEHI-3B challenge. Notably, 60% of the WEHI-3B/BALB/c mice were also protected from leukemia when WEHI-3B/tmGM-CSF vaccination was carried out after the leukemia challenge. In order to determine whether cellular immunity is involved in this vaccine-mediated protection, either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells were depleted from mice after the WEHI-3B/tmGM-CSF vaccination. The results indicate that CD8+ T-cells mediated the protective immune response provided by the irradiated tmGM-CSF-expressing WEHI-3B cells. In addition, vaccination of nude mice did not provide protection from WEHI-3B leukemia induction. Importantly, 80% of non-vaccinated mice were also protected from a WEHI-3B cell challenge after receiving spleen cells from vaccinated mice 1 day before challenge with leukemia cells. These results indicate that overexpression of tmGM-CSF on the leukemia cell-surface can enhance the recognition of leukemic cells by CD8+ T cells, and can either prevent or significantly delay leukemia induction. These findings suggest that injection of irradiated leukemia cells expressing cell-surface-bound GM-CSF has the potential as an immunological approach to treat leukemia.     

Effect of subcutaneously administered 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane on plasmacytoma growth

2,6,10,14-Tetramethylpentadecane (pristane), s.c. injected simultaneously with plasmacytoma inocula, enhances the transplantability of tumor cells. The effect is dose and time dependent. The enhancement is shown only by plasmacytoma (MOPC-315 and MPC-11) and not by the murine lymphosarcoma and chondrosarcoma tested. Various mechanisms, such as stress and depression of humoral and cellular immunity, have been considered.