Serial transplantation of Burkitt's tumor (EB3) cells in newborn Syrian hamsters and its facilitation by antilymphocyte serum.

Abstract

The intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection of cultured Burkitt's tumor cells into newborn Syrian hamsters treated with antilymphocyte serum has resulted in the development of serially transplantable tumors. Tumor sublines maintained by serial subcutaneous and intraperitoneal transplantation are currently in their 45th and 49th passages, respectively. The administration of antilymphocyte serum in each passage has been required for progressive tumor growth. Immunofluorescence evidence indicates that the tumor cells have retained their human species-specific antigenicity throughout serial passage. Histologically, the tumors are invasive, metastatic, lack the “starry sky” appearance considered typical of Burkitt's tumor, and have not progressed to frank leukemia despite some evidence of involvement of the marrow by tumor cells. Cultured Burkitt's tumor cells were also serially transplantable in untreated newborn hamsters but only by the intracranial route. However, such serial intracranial transplantation was considered unsatisfactory because it could not be sustained beyond 14 passages. These experiments suggest that antilymphocyte serum may potentiate transplantation approaches to the experimental study of human neoplasia.