Effect of oil-attached BCG cell wall on the kinetics of lymphocytes in the tumor-draining node.

The lymphocyte distribution into the tumor-draining node was studied with AH-130 hepatoma cells and Donryu strain rats in relation to the adjuvant activity of the oil-attached BCG whole cell wall. The mixed inoculation of the oil-attached BCG cell wall with tumor cells resulted initially in further augmentation of increased distribution of 51Cr-labeled lymphocytes into the draining-node induced by inoculation of the tumor cells alone, and secondarily in the systemic stimulation of response of the lymph node lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin. Suppression of the inoculated tumor growth and lymph node metastasis was finally observed. These results were discussed in connection with the therapeutic effect of BCG and its cell wall fraction.