Moloney sarcoma virus-induced tumors in athymic (nude) mice: growth pattern and antibody responses.

Tumor growth and antibody production were evaluated in nude (nu/nu) mice and their heterozygous normal (+/nu) littermates after inoculation of Moloney sarcoma virus (MSV). Sarcoma-bearing nude mice developed progressively growing tumors, whereas 53 percent of their normal counterparts showed tumor regressions. By indirect membrane fluorescence, significant amounts of IgG antibody to MSV could be detected in thymus-bearing but not in nude mice.