Antigenicity of cells derived from mouse prostate cells after malignant transformation in vitro by carcinogenic hydrocarbons.

Abstract

A line of cells derived from C3H mouse prostate was treated in vitro with methylcholanthrene and transformed to malignancy. Seventeen clones of transformed cells were tested for their immunogenicity in C3H mice. Mice were immunized by production of fibrosarcomas after injection of the individual clones; the tumors were ligated and regressed. Cells of the same clone were injected, and the numbers of tumors produced at different numbers of cells were compared with those induced in nontreated control mice. Eleven of these clones were definitely antigenic and only one was nonantigenic. No cross-reactivity was found within seven pairs of clones obtained from the same dish or within three clones derived from three different dishes. Thus, these clones derived by in vitro transformation with methylcholanthrene had multiple and distinct transplantation antigens. Immunization of mice with the nonmalignant control cells did not prevent the production of tumors on inoculation of transformed cells.