Spontaneous regression of Friend murine leukemia virus-induced erythroleukemia. IV. Effects of radiation and athymia on leukemia regression in mice.

The spontaneous regression of the erythroleukemia induced by the regressing Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV) complex was inhibited by irradiation of the animals prior to F-MuLV inoculation. This inhibition was proportional to the dose of radiation used. Treatment of the mice with the bone-seeking isotope 89Sr also inhibited erythroleukemia regression, which implicates the same effector mechanisms involved in the resistance to F-MuLV or F-MuLV-induced immunosuprression. Erythroleukemias induced in athymic nude mice by the regressing F-MuLV complex exhibited higher rates of lethality than did the leukemias in heterozygous or homozygous thymus gland-containing controls. These data suggested the involvement of the immune system in erythroleukemia regression and the specific participation of thymus cells and an 89Sr-susceptible function, perhaps marrow-dependent cells, in the process of regression.